While Bond has killed his villains, those men that he continue to chase for MI6 inevitably view Bond himself as a villain: “History,” he says, “is moving pretty quickly these days and the heroes and villains keep on changing parts.” Then he waxes eloquent on the largest question that digs at his heart: Bond opines about the innocence of youth, when right and wrong were as clear as white and black or heroes and villains. None of the modern films, to my knowledge, fit this philosophy as well as the Casino Royale book does, so it really lays a base of understanding for all the “Why?”s that 007 fosters from his fans and critics alike.įleming lays out his philosophy in Chapter 21, as Bond recovers from a unique hour of torture and chats with Mathis, his current colleague.
It’s the epitome of relativistic thinking in modern fiction, and it’s amazing how blatantly objective Fleming could be about his personal beliefs without having scared away his ever-growing fan-base. This first 007 novel is an essential piece for any James Bond fanatic or person with a passing interest in the movies (past or present), for it lays out explicitly the philosophy that underpins Bond, James Bond’s entire ego: right is only right of you contrast it to wrong, and wrong is only really wrong if you stand opposed to it. They are easier to fight for than principles.” (111) “Surround yourself with human beings, my dear James.
