Corruption In Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep

“What did it matter where you lay once you were dead?” (Chandler, pg. 230). Philip Marlowe, a cunning and sarcastic sleuth, has just pieced together a complex, dangerous crime in Raymond Chandler’s novel The Big Sleep. So, why isn’t he satisfied? Why do his final conclusions exude despair and bleak thoughts? Throughout the novel, it is evident that Marlowe feels the ambient corruption that plagues the society he lives in. Any hope or optimism he could have is diminished by his lonely reality. His solitary lifestyle often leaves him to indulge in an excess of alcoholic beverages or poisoning cigarettes. Marlowe ultimately realizes that what we do or who we are with during our lifetimes has no meaning once we’re dead. This may be a dark, depressing

In fact, most of the women in the novel have some level of attraction for Marlowe. Carmen Sternwood’s first interaction with Marlowe consisted of her acting childish, something she is very familiar with. Her intention was to flaunt her sex appeal in front of Marlowe, in hopes of gaining his attention, love, or anything in between. Because Carmen was the daughter of General Sternwood -- the wealthy, feeble man who had hired Marlowe to investigate the blackmail he’d received -- Marlowe understood that he could not engage in a sexual relationship with Carmen. Vivian Sternwood also approached Marlowe with a different method, but she had similar intentions. Having relations with either of these women would be a violation of Marlowe’s principles and ultimate goal -- to unmask the truth behind the chaos. Mona Grant, however, differed from the Sternwood’s in that she was honest and pure in comparison. She was loyal to her husband, Eddie Mars, and Marlowe reacted very positively to her relatively rare qualities. Unfortunately, Mona, nicknamed Silver-Wig, was committed to her husband. This left Marlowe with a hopeless affection for a pure, loyal, and unavailable woman. Marlowe’s final moment of self-pity was when he said, “On the way downtown I stopped at a bar and had a couple of double Scotches. They didn’t do me any good. All they did was make me think of Silver-Wig, and I

Because of these dangerous experiences, Marlowe has inevitably developed a tough, callous exterior. It becomes very clear to the reader that Marlowe always feels more comfortable with a drink in his hand -- at any time of day. Marlowe even contemplates the nature of his drinking habits by saying, “I was thinking about going out to lunch and that life was pretty flat and that it would probably be just as flat if I took a drink and that taking a drink all alone at that time of day wouldn't be any fun anyway.” (Chandler, pg. 126). In this passage, Marlowe acknowledges that alcohol will not cure his depression or loneliness, but it will continue to abuse his self-respect each time he succumbs to his vices. What’s most concerning is that even after Marlowe recognizes that drinking alone before lunchtime is problematic, he does it anyway. It is worth considering, however, that Marlowe is not as tough or cold-hearted as he may seem to those around him. This is because Marlowe is constantly detaching his personal life, or lack thereof, from his detective work. He must do this in order to effectively uncover the truth, whether it’s the solution to a crime or the truth within himself. Marlowe is very critical of his actions, and he could benefit from self-forgiveness. It’s ultimately difficult for him to appreciate all the good he’s