July 2016: The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

July's book is Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep. We are scheduled to meet next week in Littlehampton by the sea. Come on the sunshine.

Here are the discussion questions, as sourced by June:

Questions composed by MPPL Staff:

1.        What did you think of Chandler’s constant barrage of setting details?

2.        Do you think General Sternwood had given up on being a parent? What would you have done differently?

3.        Vivian visits Marlowe’s office to try and figure out if he is looking for her husband. Why doesn’t she just go to her father?

4.        Vivian tells Marlowe, “People don’t talk to me that way.” (p. 19) What does this tell us about Vivian? What does this tell us about Marlowe?

5.        Marlow comes in contact with thugs, lowlifes, cops and the rich. Does he speak to everybody the same?

6.        Marlowe seems almost unmovable. Almost. What are some examples of Marlowe being human?

7.        Do you count The Big Sleep as a classic of American literature? Why or why not?

8.        What are the charms of Marlowe?

9.        Do you think Phillip Marlowe has an equal in crime fiction?

10.    Is Carmen not very smart or does she have health issues that can account for her behaviour?

11.    Rusty Regan, the missing, bootlegging husband, always carried 15 grand on his person. What does that say about him?

12.    Why do you think Chandler never lets us see Rusty Regan, alive or dead?

13.    What does it say about Phillip Marlowe that he carries a gun and a bottle of rye in his glove compartment?

14.    Why would Vivian “loath masterful men?” (p. 20)

15.    Did Carmen getting the drop on Marlowe  surprise you? (p. 210)

16.    Eddie Mars’ wife says she still loves her husband, even knowing what a criminal he is. (p. 196) Were you bothered by her stance? Why?

17.    What does it say about Marlowe that he is a private investigator instead of a police officer?

18.    Did the slang ever bother you?

19.    Is everybody (men and women) a smooth talker in The Big Sleep?

20.    There ended up being a good number of characters and quite a few of them dead. Did you ever have trouble following along?

21.    Think of characters and their status levels. Is there any social critique within The Big Sleep?

22.    Do women have power in this story? If so, what kind?

23.    How does Marlowe see women?