Chandler's The Meaning: The Big Sleep

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The Meaning : “The Big Sleep” simply means death. The only time the phrase is mentioned is in the last chapter. You can find the exact quote in the “Memorable Line” section below.The Big Sleep was Raymond Chandler’s first in a series of novels about a private detective named Philip Marlowe. The book has been adapted for film twice: The first adaptation was in 1946 and starred Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. The second adaptation—which wasn’t as well-received as the first—was in 1978 and starred Robert Mitchum and Jimmy Stewart. The Big Lebowski, a Coen Brothers film, is loosely based on The Big Sleep. According to some of Chandler’s letters published in Atlantic Monthly, Chandler was surprised to realize he never explained the murder of Owen Taylor—and, in fact, …show more content…

The Big Sleep is one of those novels that needs to be read a couple of times. While reading, I always had the feeling that I was missing something—maybe a plot connection, a reference, or something like that. Philip Marlowe is the star. He’s a loner private detective who is hired by a rich general to investigate a “rare book” collector who is blackmailing the general. Turns out, the general’s two scandalous daughters are involved—and the plot twists and turns to reveal much more than just blackmail. Everything hinges on Vivian—the older of the general’s missing daughters—whose husband has disappeared. Although Marlowe has been hired to investigate the blackmail—which involves pictures (if you know what I mean) of the general’s youngest daughter, Carmen—everything keeps leading back to the disappearance of the husband, Rusty Regan. Chandler is an incredible writer. He says a lot while only saying a little. In other words, his prose is descriptive and beautiful while staying concise and to the

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