Written By: Raymond Chandler Presentation By: Tyler Shalvarjian THE BIG SLEEP Written By: Raymond Chandler Presentation By: Tyler Shalvarjian

Back Cover Teaser Philip Marlowe, a private detective, is hired by General Sternwood to investigate what is supposed to be a simple blackmailing case. Marlowe soon realizes that this is a deeper case than what he first perceived, as Sternwood’s daughters both end up becoming major parts of the case. Despite the complexity, he jumps straight in, targeting and following his first suspect, an owner of a “bookstore”. This, unfortunately, does not last long, as his suspect is murdered. The murder leads Marlowe nowhere and his case is postponed shortly. However, after another mysterious murder, Marlowe is able to find a few leads. His case is jumpstarted once again and he begins to learn about the circumstances surrounding each murder.

Back Cover Teaser cont. He finds that each successive murder has a connection to the first murder which lead him nowhere. Nearly stumped, Marlowe is confronted by a seemingly innocent man who offers his help to Marlowe in exchange for a sum of money. Marlowe realizes that he is becoming a target in the blackmailing case, and that he must “take matters into his own hands” in order to ensure his safety. This murder mystery is seemingly over, but what later ensues, changes the entire plot of the story. The masterful end to the confusing novel is all due to Marlowe’s ability to decipher the case from stage one. Follow Philip Marlowe as he disassembles a case of many false fronts and reassembles the puzzle that makes up the entirety of this blackmailing case.

Novel Setting West Hollywood, California 1930s-1940s 3765 Alta Brea Crescent (General Sternwood’s Mansion) Majority takes place during the nighttime Very descriptive: “The air was thick, wet, steamy and larded with the cloying smell of tropical orchids in bloom. The glass walls and roof were heavily misted and big drops of moisture splashed on the plants. The light had an unreal greenish color, like light filtered through an aquarium tank. The plants filled the place, a forest of them, with nasty meaty leaves and stalks like the fingers of newly washed dead men. They smelled as overpowering as boiling alcohol under a blanket” (Chandler 8). Weather

Detective Philip Marlowe Private Detective Only honest person throughout the novel Helps others before helping himself Tough, resilliant, focused; resists temptation Does not do things for money (paid very little), only for enjoyment Smart, clever; much like Sherlock Holmes

Significant Passage “You were dead, you were sleeping the big sleep, you were not bothered by things like that, oil and water were the same as wind and air to you. You just slept the big sleep, not caring about the nastiness of how you died or where you fell. Me, I was part of the nastiness now. Far more a part of it than Rusty Regan was. But the old man didn’t have to be. He could lie quiet in his bed, with his bloodless hands folded on the sheet, waiting. His heart was a brief uncertain murmur. His thoughts were as gray as ashes. And in a little while he too, like Rusty Regan, would be sleeping the big sleep” (Chandler 206).

Raymond Thornton Chandler Born in Chicago, Illinois; spent his childhood years in Plattsmouth, Nebraska; moved to London, England in 1900 Educated in England but did not attend university Worked an admiralty job, during which he published his first poem (1907) Became a reporter for the Daily Express and the Bristol Western Gazette newspapers Moved to Los Angeles in 1913 - Along the way he strung tennis rackets and picked fruit Worked at the Los Angeles Creamery for four years and enlisted in World War I in 1917

Raymond Thornton Chandler After the war, Chandler worked for the Dabney Oil Syndicate but was fired due to his alcoholism, absenteeism, promiscuity with female employees and threatened suicides During the Depression, Chandler turned to writing to earn a living Taught himself to write pulp fiction by studying the Perry Mason story formula of Erle Stanley Gardner. Chandler's first professional work: "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", published in Black Mask magazine in 1933; First novel, The Big Sleep, published in 1939 After second novel’s success (Farewell, My Lovely (1940)), became a screenwriter Attempted suicide in 1955, but was unsuccessful and died from pneumonial peripheral vascular shock and prerenal uremia

MY Recommendation Did not know what to expect LA Noir – set in Hollywood Philip Marlowe – Protagonist Eddie Mars – Antagonist Characters in-between Rusty Regan Puzzle

MY recommendation Cont. Logical/typical mystery plot Misleading at times Mysterious, dark tone Everybody is out to get you Corruption I recommend this novel.

Novel Information Genre: Detective/Crime Novel; LA Noir Reading Level: High School (11-12) Length: 211 pages Point of View: First Person