Criminality
Many things concern crime in the novel. They are violence, pornography, gambling, alcohol, theft. Of course, all crimes belong to Keith Talent (we can even say that he is a negative character, but not an antagonist). Keith disregards the opportunities and advantages of a modern criminal. He does not have enough time for gyms, restaurants, nice bestsellers and trips abroad. Crime is his hobby. However, the only thing that does not concern his crime is murder. Initially, Samson attributes to Keith the role of Nicola’s killer, but fate changes everything otherwise. The theme of criminality shows readers the real “ego” of people, when their main goal is crime.
Children's upbringing
As Samson Young says, children are royal prisoners, emperors, little Napoleons. If we talk about Marmaduke, Guy’s son, this little child is a real tyrant. Of course, you need to foster your children with love and affection, but this is Guy’s fault that his son is so nasty and bad mannered. If he had not abandoned his son and wife, perhaps Guy could have given his son more love and care. Of course, we do not need to treat our “royal prisoners” with cruelty or rudeness, because children are vulnerable. Until he became a father, Guy did not realize how many babies and children are always around. Now, Guy sees that royal prisoners are everywhere and they are different – (the woeful ones, the terrible twos, the threatening threes, the fearsome fours). All children do what royal prisoners always do.
Social inequality
Social classes? Yes, they are here. Inequality of society is a terribly tenacious force that does not care about all historical cataclysms. The class system does not know when it regains consciousness. Samson Young believes that even nuclear suicide will not be able to put the hurt on inequality. Social inequality never bothers Keith Talent, despite the fact that it poisons him every morning, when he wakes up. In any case, class forces Keith to enlist the third person (Guy Clinch) in his relationships with Nicola Six. The novel proves that people from the different social classes can have something in common with each other.