“Ausable did not fit any description of a secret agent Fowler has ever read.” What do secret agents in books and films look like, in your opinion? Discuss in groups or in class some stories or movies featuring spies, detectives and secret agents, and compare their appearance with that of Ausable in this story. (You may mention characters from fiction in languages other than English. In English, fiction you may have come across Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, or Miss Marple. have you watched any movies featuring James Bond?

According to me, secret agents in books and films look quite different. They usually wear a headgear (a cap or a hat), a long coat and gloves on their hands. They are usually portrayed with black goggles. They are quite sharp and intelligent. In the given plot when Fowler, a young writer, met Ausable, he was very disappointed because Ausable didn't fit into the description of a secret agent. His appearance was quite different. He was a dull, fat man who knew French and German languages but had a predominant American accent in his speech. There are many books and movies which portray detectives as very different from what Ausable has been portrayed in this plot. We can refer to Sherlock Homes or James Bond for that matter to highlight the contrast well. read less

Secret agents in fiction are projected like ideal men. ‘Tall, dark and handsome’. They are usually well-built and keep beautiful women for company. They would smoke a pipe (like Sherlock Holmes) or a cigar and execute death-defying stunts (like James Bond). Movies based on James Bond show hi-tech gadgets which assist the detective in countering villains. However, there are some exceptions to this appearance of a secret agent also. A character named Feluda was created by Satyajit Ray, the famous Bengali filmmaker. Feluda was a tall athletic figure who relied on his superb analytical ability and observation skill. read less