Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
The Big Sleep Study Questions
Chapter 1
1. Analyze the diction in the first paragraph of the story. What effect does it create? How does this help set the
tone early in the novel?
2. Describe the stain-glassed panel that is depicting a knight attempting to save a woman. What conclusion
does he come to regarding what he would need to do if he lived in that house? Why is this significant?
3. Describe the picture of the portrait of the general. What does the description suggest?
4. Describe the girl he meets. Who is she? What transpires between the two?
Chapter 2
1. In what condition is the General? Judging by his comments, has this always been the case?
2. How old is Marlowe? Why does he claim he is not married? Why does he no longer work for the District
Attorney, Mr. Wilde?
3. Who is Rusty Regan? What was his profession? What is his relationship to the Sternwood family?
4. What does Marlowe say regarding his relationship with bootleggers? What does this suggest?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
5. Why is the General upset that Rusty Regan is no longer around?
6. For what reason has Marlowe been hired by the General? What is Marlowe’s initial advice concerning the
matter? Why? Why is this unacceptable to the General?
7. What does it say in the lower left-hand corner of the envelope?
8. What information do we learn about Vivian and Carmen?
9. What does the General mean when he says he is too close to death to include any “Victorian hypocrisy?”
How does this re-enforce the ideals of a post-Darwin/post-WWI era?
10. How much money is the butler supposed to write Marlowe before he leaves? What could this suggest?
Chapter 3
1. Describe Mrs. Regan’s (Vivian) appearance.
2. What does Mrs. Regan think that Marlowe is doing for her dad, which when she finds out that it is not what
he is doing for her dad, she gets upset?
3. What information does Mrs. Regan give about her husband’s disappearance?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
4. How did the Sternwood’s amass their fortune?
5. Who does Marlowe feel would be better suited for the job the General gave him? Why?
6. At the end of this chapter, where does Marlowe go, and what does he do while there?
Chapter 4
1. What questions does Marlowe ask the woman behind the desk? What does this prove?
2. What does the “tall hungry-looking bird” bring to the shop and then take with him when he leaves the shop?
3. What does Marlowe do when the man leaves the store?
4. What does Marlowe find at the end of this chapter?
Chapter 5
1. Where does Marlowe go at the beginning of the chapter? What is he hoping to find?
2. How is Geiger described?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
3. What conclusion does Marlowe come to as to what Geiger’s book store is all about? How does he know
this?
Chapter 6
1. What does Marlowe buy at the drugstore?
2. What was going on at Geiger’s book store?
3. When Marlowe tails Geiger to his house, how does Geiger act? What does Marlowe do upon arrival? Who
enters Geiger’s house while he is waiting?
4. What prompts Marlowe to enter the house? What does he hear around back of the house?
5. How many people are in the house? How many of the people are living?
Chapter 7
1. What is the state of Carmen mentally and physically?
2. Judging by the clues in the room, what was Carmen doing?
3. What has happened to Geiger?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
4. What does Marlowe do to Carmen to attempt to get her to come to her senses? After this fails, what does he
do?
5. A plateholder is the piece of a camera that holds all of the film. Why is it significant that it is not in the
camera?
6. What did the murderer leave behind? What does this suggest about the motive?
7. What does Marlowe find in a locked box?
8. What happens at the end of the chapter?
Chapter 8
1. Where do Carmen and Marlowe go? By what means do they get there?
2. Why does Marlowe not want a cab to be called for him? Instead, how does he get back to Geiger’s?
3. When Marlowe gets back to Geiger’s, what is odd about the scene?
4. What does Marlowe hope was the motive of the person who was clearly at Geiger’s house while he was
gone?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
5. What does Marlowe conclude is contained within the book he took from the house earlier?
Chapter 9
1. Why does the D.A. call Marlowe?
2. Describe the D.A.’s desk. What does it suggest about him?
3. What does Marlowe have in common with Regan?
4. Describe the condition of the car.
5. At what time did the accident occur? What clues led to this conclusion?
6. What was the cause of death? What other injuries were sustained?
7. Who was the person in the car? What is his relation with Carmen? What did he try to do? Who prevented
this from happening? (page 50)
Chapter 10
1. When returning to Geiger’s shop, what does Marlowe claim to be?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
2. What is at the back of Geiger’s shop? What does Marlowe do about this?
3. Whose name stands out to Marlowe? Why is this name significant?
4. Where does Marlowe go at the end of the chapter? Who is waiting there for him?
Chapter 11
1. Who is the person who is at Marlowe’s office?
2. Does Marlowe claim he is honest? What does that mean for him and his job?
3. How does Vivian respond when Marlowe asks her if she knew that Owen had a criminal record?
4. What does Vivian have with her? What is the significance of this?
5. On the night of Owen’s death, who does Vivian claim was the only person not home? Where does she say
this person was?
6. What does Marlowe suggest Vivian do regarding her current situation? Why would Vivian not tell the
police about this?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
7. What other information do we find out about Rusty Regan? Why is Vivian upset with Marlowe’s response
to this?
8. What does the D.A. tell Marlowe, which confirms Vivian’s story?
Chapter 12
1. What theory does Marlowe come up with to explain where Geiger’s body is? If this is true, what does this
suggest about the people who did this?
2. Who does Marlowe find at Geiger’s house?
3. What is Marlowe’s opinion of the rich? Find a quote to support your point.
4. Who does Carmen claim killed Geiger?
5. How does Carmen react when told about the photo? What could this suggest?
6. How does the person who arrives at the house at the end of the chapter enter the house?
Chapter 13
1. Describe Eddie Mars. What does this description suggest?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
2. What are Carmen’s feelings towards Eddie Mars?
3. What does Carmen do?
4. How does Eddie treat Marlowe? What does Eddie find?
5. Why does Eddie claim he has a key to the house?
6. After Eddie accuses Marlowe of the crime, what happens? What does he do to Marlowe? Who comes into
the house? Etc.
7. House much information does Marlowe give to Eddie?
Chapter 14
1. Upon first speaking with Brody, who does Brody claim not to know?
2. Instead of giving Marlowe a cigar, what does Brody do?
3. Who is in the room with Brody? From where do we know this person?
4. What is the reason Marlowe gives as to why Brody would want the books in his possession?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
5. How does Agnes react when confronted about the book store? Why does she claim that Marlowe’s claims
are absurd?
6. Marlowe claims that Brody killed Geiger. How does Brody respond? Why does Marlowe claim his
response doesn’t matter?
7. At the end of the chapter, what does Marlowe convince Brody to do/give him?
Chapter 15
1. What scares them at the beginning of the chapter? How to they prepare for this event?
2. Who comes to the door? What do they have with them?
3. What transpires between Agnes and Marlowe?
4. What does the person who comes to the door want? How does she intend on getting it?
5. At the end of the altercation, what does Marlowe have? What does he tell Carmen to do? Who heard the
gunshot?
Chapter 16
1. Carmen’s gun was a gift from whom?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
2. For what reason did Brody blackmail Mrs. Regan instead of the General this time?
3. Where does Brody claims the books are? What reason does he give as to why they came to his house first?
Does Marlowe seem to believe him?
4. In order to keep their story consistent, what do they agree upon?
5. Initially, how does Brody claim he got the photo? What prompts him to tell a little bit more of the story?
6. What information does Brody provide about the night of the murder of Geiger? What was his role in it?
7. What is Marlowe’s theory as to what Brody was doing at Geiger’s house and how Brody came into
possession of the photo? Is this true?
8. Another visitor comes to the door. Who is it, and what happens?
9. After Marlowe catches the person he is chasing, what does he make him do? Why?
Chapter 17
1. Where does Marlowe make Carol Lundgren drive them to?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
2. According to Marlowe, what is the relationship between Carol and Geiger?
3. After Marlowe’s claim about Carol and Geiger’s relationship, what ensues?
4. What does Marlowe find in Geiger’s house?
5. Who does Marlowe call? What information does he give this person that suggests he information that the
person he called may find useful?
Chapter 18
1. Who are Wilde and Cronjager?
2. What do the four men discuss? Why would Chandler lay out all this information?
3. Find a quote that shows how Wilde feels about the police.
4. When Marlowe tells his story, what two pieces of information does he leave out? Why would he do this?
5. Why is Cronjager upset with Marlowe?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
6. After Wilde challenges Marlowe’s theory, why does Marlowe suggest his theory is the only one that makes
sense?
7. Why does Marlowe continue to leave out pieces of personal information? What is his rationale behind not
giving the information out?
8. What dirt does Marlowe have on Cronjager that makes him change his tone?
9. Wilde claims that Marlowe is making such little money for this case, so why is he defending the people he
serves. How does Marlowe respond?
Chapter 19
1. Who calls Marlowe? What does he want to know? What does he claim he can tell Marlowe about?
2. Who does Marlowe call? What does he tell them? After he gets off the phone, what does Marlowe refuse to
do?
3. How does the newspaper describe the events that occurred? Is it accurate? If not, what details are altered?
Chapter 20
1. Who is Captain Gregory? For what organization does he work?
2. Who does Captain Gregory call before he is willing to dispense any information?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
3. What information does Marlowe want from Gregory?
4. What day did Regan leave? Why is this day important?
5. Where was Regan’s car found?
6. Who appeared missing around the same time as Regan?
7. What does Regan always carry on him?
8. Why does Gregory think that Regan was not knocked off?
9. What are Eddie’s feelings about his wife liking Regan? Why does Gregory claim he wouldn’t knock Regan
off for this? What does Eddie’s job have to do with Gregory coming to that conclusion?
10. How does Gregory plan on finding Regan? What is his strategy?
11. Upon leaving Gregory’s office, what does Marlowe notice while driving?
Chapter 21
1. What is Marlowe’s feelings about life? Why would he think this?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
2. In what condition is the General? Why?
3. Why does the General want to see Marlowe in person?
4. What would be the smart thing for Marlowe to do regarding his current situation? Why? What does he
choose to do? Why?
5. Why does Eddie Mars want to thank Marlowe?
6. With whom does Eddie Mars have connections? What does this suggest?
7. Why is Marlowe interested in where Regan is?
8. With whom is Eddie Mars “friends?” What does this suggest?
9. How does Mars react when Marlowe asks if Mars is having him tailed? What does Marlowe make of this?
Chapter 22
1. Describe the casino. What did it used to be? What does this suggest about the current time period?
2. What happened to the guy that Vivian was with?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
3. How well is Vivian doing on the roulette wheel? What does Eddie Mars do to appease her? What is the
result of this?
4. When Marlowe takes a walk, who does he see?
Chapter 23
1. What happens to Vivian at the beginning of the chapter? What does Marlowe do about this?
2. Who is Larry Cobb? Why does Vivian say you should see him when he is sober?
3. Where is Vivian and Marlowe’s first stop? What happens there? What does Marlowe ask Vivian? How
does she answer?
4. A loogan is a man with a gun who is on the wrong side of the fence. What does “the wrong side of the
fence” mean? What does Vivian mean when she says, “I often wonder if there is a wrong side” (148)? Do you
agree with her?
5. What does Vivian think Marlowe may have done?
6. Where is Vivian and Marlowe’s second stop? What does Vivian provoke Marlowe to do? Why does
Marlowe play along? What is his goal? What is Vivian’s response when she realizes this?
7. Where is the last place Vivian and Marlowe go?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
Chapter 24
1. When Marlowe arrives home, what is Carmen doing in his house? How did she get in?
2. Why does Marlowe not do what Carmen wants him to do?
3. What does Marlowe mean when he says “knights had no meaning in this game” (156)? What does this
suggest?
4. On what condition will Marlowe give Carmen a drink? Does she oblige him? What is the result of this?
Chapter 25
1. When Marlowe wakes up, how is he feeling? Find a quote to support your point.
2. Who does Marlowe see on the way to his office? What does he say when he confronts this person?
3. Who is Harry Jones? With whom is he associated? Why has he come to Marlowe’s office?
4. According to Jones, what is the current condition of Agnes?
5. According to Jones, what happen to Regan?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
6. Who is Lash Canino? What does Jones imply he has done?
7. What information does Jones have that Marlowe is willing to pay two hundred dollars for? Who does he
need to get this information from?
8. What is the only reason that is preventing Marlowe from believing Jones?
Chapter 26
1. Who is in Jones’ apartment when Marlowe arrives?
2. Why does Marlowe break into the room next to Jones’?
3. What information is Canino trying to get from Jones’? Does he get it?
4. How does Canino kill Jones? Why does Jones say “success” before he dies?
5. Who does Marlowe try to call? Why would he do this? Is he able to reach this person?
6. Before leaving the office, who calls in an attempt to talk to Jones? What agreement does Marlowe make
with this person? Does he reveal the current state of Jones?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
Chapter 27
1. What information is Agnes able to provide? Who did she see with Mars’ wife? Where are a currently
lodging?
2. What happens to Marlowe’s car on the way to this location?
3. What is the first thing Marlowe sees when the door opens? What reason is given as to why they are being so
careful?
4. What does Canino make art do? What do Canino and Marlowe do while he does this?
5. What happens to Marlowe?
Chapter 28
1. Why is Eddie Mars’ wife hiding out? What does she claim not to believe about Eddie?
2. What does Eddie Mars’ wife do for Marlowe? Why does Marlowe want her to come with him?
3. Does Mars’ wife come with Marlowe? Why? What information does she have about Regan?
Chapter 29
1. What does Marlowe check before going back to the house?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
2. What does Marlowe not have the patience to wait for? What does he do as a result of this?
3. How does Canino respond to Marlowe’s actions? How does Marlowe react to what Canino does?
4. When approaching the car, what does Canino do to protect himself?
5. How does Mars’ wife help Marlowe in the shoot-out that ensues? What does Marlowe (as the narrator) say
that shows he is tough?
Chapter 30
1. Why is it impossible for Captain Gregory to be honest?
2. What is Captain Gregory’s advice to Marlowe? How does Marlowe react to this?
3. How does Chandler choose to give the events that occurred after Marlowe shot Canino? Why would he do
this?
4. According to General Sternwood, how has Marlowe betrayed his trust?
5. What does Marlowe considering giving to Sternwood? Why would he do this? What does it show about
Marlowe?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
6. Does Marlowe believe he acted ethically? Why?
7. Who does Marlowe say he is not? Why is this significant?
8. By whose standards is the job not complete? Why is this significant?
9. What does Sternwood want Marlowe to do for him? Why?
Chapter 31
1. Marlowe says to Carmen that it is weird that her and her sister do not have much fun. What do they have
which makes this seem weird?
2. What does Carmen want? Where do they go to do this?
3. What does Carmen try to do? How does Marlowe react?
Chapter 32
1. What does Vivian accuse Marlowe of being?
2. What does Marlowe start to tell Vivian? Why would he do this?
Detective Fiction Name:_____________________________________________
Davis/Campo Date:_____________________________________________
3. Why was Carmen unable to kill Marlowe?
4. What happened to Regan?
5. What dirt does Eddie Mars have on Vivian?
6. What is Marlowe’s response to Vivian calling her a “son of a bitch?”
7. What does Marlowe say that Vivian needs to do in order for Marlowe not to take any further action?
8. What is “the big sleep?” What does Marlowe say about it?
9. In Marlowe’s book, is Sternwood’s task for him ever complete? Why?