The Big Sleep Isolation Quotes

After Carmen leaves his apartment, Marlowe goes back to his usual solitary drinking. Check out the sounds described to emphasize Marlowe's sense of isolation: we hear the steps gradually fading away, then a car engine starting and disappearing in the night. Marlowe's act of savagely tearing apart his bed is yet another sign that he is determined to preserve the sanctity of his own private space, even if that means he'll be alone for the rest of his sorry life.

As the novel progresses, Marlowe becomes more and more disillusioned by his dealings with the Sternwood family. Here we have one of Chandler's characteristic similes (see the "Writing Style" section for more on this). What makes this simile so unusual isn't the image of pockets (we're used to pockets being empty), but rather the fact that it's a scarecrow's pockets. Why a scarecrow? Why not a pauper's or a homeless person's pockets? Well, just picture a solitary scarecrow standing in the middle of a vacant field, and ask yourself whether that image accurately captures the feeling of isolation and emptiness that Marlowe feels.

Chandler keeps his sentences short and succinct here. And he repeats the word "nobody" two times in a row at the beginning of the sentence. Combine those two elements with the rain and you've got a recipe for a lonely dude on a lonely day.