The excessses of the Roaring Twenties
The excesses of the Roaring Twenties is one of the most important themes in the novel. At the start of the novel, readers see many people—most prominently Benjamin and Helen Rask—living very extravagant lifestyles. They lead lifestyles that for some are overwhelming and for others are excessive and too gaudy. Above all, most envy the lifestyles of some socialites in the Roaring Twenties. Still, lifestyle excesses inevitably lead to harder times and downfalls—and that certainly happened to many of the people in the novel.
The Great Depression
Because the novel takes place over many years (and starts in the Roaring Twenties), the Great Depression is an important theme in the novel. Many of the people in New York—and in the United States and world more broadly—suffer tremendous hardships as a result of the Great Depression. But Benjamin and Helen Rask are fabulously wealthy and don't suffer many hardships as a result of the Great Depression. That contrast makes New Yorkers much more curious about how the enigmatic duo obtained their fabulous wealth. It also made those New Yorkers mad.
Power
Power is another significant theme in the film. In the novel, Benjamin and Helen Rask (as well as other rich and powerful people) frequently seek out power. They will do anything to obtain power, and ultimately anything to keep it. This creates one of the main conflicts in the novel and gives more depth to both Benjamin and Helen Rask.
