The Big Sleep

by

Raymond Chandler

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General Sternwood Character Analysis

An elderly, rich former general whose family made their money in the oilfields near his L.A. mansion. Sternwood is being blackmailed by Arthur Gwynn Geiger and, on the recommendation of his friend and district attorney Taggart Wilde, hires private detective Philip Marlowe to look into the situation. Marlow learns that the General also had a strong bond with his missing son-in-law Rusty Regan, husband of the general’s eldest daughter, Vivian Regan. But General Sternwood does not directly ask the detective to follow up that case at first; later, when Marlowe starts to investigate Regan’s disappearance too, the general offers the detective $1,000 if he can find Rusty. Sternwood is severely ill and dying. His lower body was crushed in a horse racing accident many years before and he now spends his time either in bed or in his scorching orchid greenhouse, waited on by his butler Mr. Norris. Bed-bound but with pull in the city police department, Sternwood represents the elite class who are involved with the city’s underworld from a distance, with their names always kept out of the papers by influential friends.

General Sternwood Quotes in The Big Sleep

The The Big Sleep quotes below are all either spoken by General Sternwood or refer to General Sternwood. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Corruption of Society Theme Icon
).
Chapter 18 Quotes

I’ve done all my office permits—and maybe a good deal more—to save the old man from grief. But in the long run it can’t be done. Those girls of his are bound certain to hook up with something that can't be hushed, especially that little blonde brat. They ought not to be running around loose. I blame the old man for that.

Related Characters: Taggart Wilde (speaker), Philip Marlowe, General Sternwood, Vivian Regan, Carmen Sternwood
Page Number: 114
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 20 Quotes

“General Sternwood’s a rich man,” I said. “He’s an old friend of the D.A.’s father. If he wants to hire a fulltime boy to run errands for him, that’s no reflection on the police. It’s just a luxury he is able to afford himself.”

Related Characters: Philip Marlowe (speaker), General Sternwood, Captain Al Gregory
Related Symbols: Knights, Money
Page Number: 120
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 21 Quotes

I wish old Sternwood would hire himself a soldier like you on a straight salary, to keep those girls of his home at least a few nights a week.

Related Characters: Eddie Mars (speaker), Philip Marlowe, General Sternwood, Vivian Regan, Carmen Sternwood
Related Symbols: Knights, Money
Page Number: 133
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 23 Quotes

“We’re his blood. That’s the hell of it.” She stared at me in the mirror with deep, distant eyes. “I don’t want him to die despising his own blood. It was always wild blood, but it wasn’t always rotten blood.”

Related Characters: Vivian Regan (speaker), Philip Marlowe, General Sternwood
Page Number: Book Page 148
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 30 Quotes

The knight in the stained-glass window still wasn’t getting anywhere untying the naked damsel from the tree.

Related Characters: Philip Marlowe (speaker), General Sternwood
Related Symbols: Knights
Page Number: 209
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 32 Quotes

Me, I was part of the nastiness now … But the old man didn’t have to be. He could lie quiet in his canopied bed, with his bloodless hands folded on the sheet, waiting.

Related Characters: Philip Marlowe (speaker), General Sternwood
Related Symbols: Money
Page Number: 230
Explanation and Analysis:
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General Sternwood Quotes in The Big Sleep

The The Big Sleep quotes below are all either spoken by General Sternwood or refer to General Sternwood. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Corruption of Society Theme Icon
).
Chapter 18 Quotes

I’ve done all my office permits—and maybe a good deal more—to save the old man from grief. But in the long run it can’t be done. Those girls of his are bound certain to hook up with something that can't be hushed, especially that little blonde brat. They ought not to be running around loose. I blame the old man for that.

Related Characters: Taggart Wilde (speaker), Philip Marlowe, General Sternwood, Vivian Regan, Carmen Sternwood
Page Number: 114
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 20 Quotes

“General Sternwood’s a rich man,” I said. “He’s an old friend of the D.A.’s father. If he wants to hire a fulltime boy to run errands for him, that’s no reflection on the police. It’s just a luxury he is able to afford himself.”

Related Characters: Philip Marlowe (speaker), General Sternwood, Captain Al Gregory
Related Symbols: Knights, Money
Page Number: 120
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 21 Quotes

I wish old Sternwood would hire himself a soldier like you on a straight salary, to keep those girls of his home at least a few nights a week.

Related Characters: Eddie Mars (speaker), Philip Marlowe, General Sternwood, Vivian Regan, Carmen Sternwood
Related Symbols: Knights, Money
Page Number: 133
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 23 Quotes

“We’re his blood. That’s the hell of it.” She stared at me in the mirror with deep, distant eyes. “I don’t want him to die despising his own blood. It was always wild blood, but it wasn’t always rotten blood.”

Related Characters: Vivian Regan (speaker), Philip Marlowe, General Sternwood
Page Number: Book Page 148
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 30 Quotes

The knight in the stained-glass window still wasn’t getting anywhere untying the naked damsel from the tree.

Related Characters: Philip Marlowe (speaker), General Sternwood
Related Symbols: Knights
Page Number: 209
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 32 Quotes

Me, I was part of the nastiness now … But the old man didn’t have to be. He could lie quiet in his canopied bed, with his bloodless hands folded on the sheet, waiting.

Related Characters: Philip Marlowe (speaker), General Sternwood
Related Symbols: Money
Page Number: 230
Explanation and Analysis: