Devil In A Blue Dress

Consider the division between public and private spaces, as well as public and private identities in the novel: How does identity interact with space? What are the effects of intrusions into private space?

Consider the young Mexican boy that Matthew Teran keeps as a sex slave and Tree Rat, the Jewish boy who died after ingesting rich foods, as foil characters: How are their experiences and outcomes similar and different?

Easy narrates the novel as if he is looking back from some future point. How does his sense of looking back cast the story in a different light? What characteristics can you identify in Easy the narrator, as distinct from Easy the character?

Select three or more striking witticisms or turns of phrase from the text, then analyze them tonally and thematically: What purposes do they serve?

Easy gives an overview of his experiences as a Black soldier in the American army during World War II. According to available historical records, how typical was his experience?

In what ways is Easy’s nickname ironic? Does the symbolism of his nickname change over the course of the novel?

What is the role of organized crime, a hallmark of hardboiled mystery fiction, in this novel? How does Mosley uniquely connect crime and his themes?

What is the significance of the park with a merry-go-round as the setting of the scene where Easy encounters the group of teenagers?