Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The novel later served as the basis for the film of the same name in 1944, adapted for the screen by the novelist raymond chandler and directed by billy wilder. Walter huff, an insurance agent, falls for the married phyllis nirdlinger, who consults him about accident. Bfi what marks double indemnity out from other great film noirs is that sense, among all the crazy, twisted, duplicitous shenanigans, of real, human heartbreak. What are the 3 themes of the story double indemnity. Fatal accidents happen twice, one staged and one actual, in the first novel. Still, he is savvy enough to get through the door and get.
In a city where insurance salesmen are close to the bottom of the social pecking order, walter huff rates as average. When he is seduced by dietrichson into murdering her husband. This study guide consists of approximately 51 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your. According to the encyclopedia of pulp fiction writers, double indemnity. Yet again i feel like a fool offering a summary of a story doubtless extremely wellknown. It was originally published as part of a set with two other stories, called three of a kind, in liberty magazine. Neff is an insurance salesman for the pacific all risk insurance co. In the later novel, there are two double compensations for an accidental death that is actually a murder. Double indemnity, published in 1934, is cains second novel and is set in the young, booming city of hollywood. The night is dark and the blood seeping from walter neff is red. Double indemnity is a 1934 detective novella by james m cain. The first is the doubleindemnity insurance award, and the. The confession is addressed to barton keyes, the claims agent who is his immediate superior. The double indemnity novel community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you.
It was first published in serial form in liberty magazine in 1936 and then was one of three long short tales in the collection three of a kind. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Cain is considered to be one of the founders of the hardboiled genre of detective fiction, which developed during the prohibition era in the united states 19201933. Double indemnity study guide contains a biography of director billy wilder, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a. The double indemnity novel community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context.
419 267 912 518 1234 505 1179 596 6 727 1410 1064 1209 1331 147 439 1370 433 65 358 387 1461 995 1281 1570 1224 952 1363 55 577 709 533 850 346