Doctor No

Doctor No Analysis

Fleming's infamous character James Bond always emerges victorious in his novels. Any actions he takes in the meantime which may be morally questionable are excused provided he wins in the end. This is the nature of espionage. In Doctor No, Bond is given an overtly dramatic platform from which to play the hero. The novel follows the concept of medieval knighthood.

Bond is sent to rescue his superior who has gone missing from the MI6 base in Jamaica. While there, he soon learns that his life is threatened on all fronts by Dr. No and his minions. Trying to uncover the conspiracy, Bond galavants around the islands making a mess of relations and local businesses. He meets the damsal in distress, Honey, and rescues her and himself from the evil Dr. No's schemes. First, though, he must prove himself by surviving a series of bizzare challenges in order to escape from the facility. Not only does Bond rescue himself and Honey but also defeats Dr. No and by extension prevents the villians plans to aid the Russians in their latest world-domination scheme.

In every story Bond is the hero, but this one in particular emphasizes his almost super-human skills. Fleming focuses on Bond's manliness, to the point of machismo. No matter the situation, Bond responds in the most masculine, brutish fashion. He succeeds, though, so he is applauded. In Dr. No Fleming effectively raises the argument that a straight masculine approach to life, despite its shortcomings, is acceptable because it yields the highest success rate. If Bond were any less of a man, he wouldn't be allowed to behave the way he does. Since he does his job exceptionally well, however, he is excused of any minor faults in the name of the greater good.

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