Criminal Psychology
At one point in this novel, Philip Marlowe ponders a question to himself: "How is it that the life of crime breeds so many oddballs?" Throughout the narrative the private detective interacts with a number of individuals who are involved in one way or another with a "life of crime." Every single one of these people with whom Marlowe comes into contact can appropriately be described as something of an oddball. These characters range from wealthy residents of Los Angeles to street-level low-life types. Regardless of the economic spectrum, however, criminal activity is linked with character flaw. One of the themes which the novel pursues is the idea—appropriately more acceptable within the story's mid-20th century setting than the 21st century in which it was published—that criminals are a "type" that can be linked together across social strata. It is an outdated idea, psychologically, but works as a reflection of the thinking of the period.
Wealth Corrupts
This entry into the canon of Philip Marlowe novels continues a theme set in stone by his creator, Raymond Chandler. The originator of the private detective constantly had him getting involved with the rich denizens of L.A. Inevitably, it would be revealed that wealth corrupts the soul. Early in the story, Marlowe relates a conversation in which a privileged member of this class tells him an exclusive country club has swimming pools and "bright, shiny people" and that it is the kind of place that would never allow a person like him to enter. Then he admits that she didn't actually say that last part, but he heard it nevertheless. Marlowe always seems to find himself dealing with these denizens of the wealthy neighborhoods of his city and this story is no different. He may be tantalized and almost on the verge of being seduced by the lure of those shiny people, but they almost always end up being too soulless for a man of high principles and a rigid moral code like Marlowe.
Changing Times
Raymond Chandler told his original stories of Philip Marlowe within the same societal zeitgeist in which they took place. This novel was written in a very different age while still keeping Marlowe situated within that mid-20th century mindset. The result is often jarring as Marlowe seems to have cleaned up the more abrasively politically incorrect parts of his personality. One of the themes explored by the structuring of the novel rather than its plot is the way in which writing true to nature has been impacted by modern-day sensibilities. While this Philip Marlow still exemplifies the iconic mode of hardboiled narration, Marlowe comes across a slightly less sexist and more attuned to millennial views toward such controversial subjects as homophobia. This disconnect between what was acceptable to readers when Chandler was writing his tales about Marlowe and what is no longer acceptable insinuates itself into the narrative as a thematic exploration of the impact of changing societal mores upon the creative process.
