Luck

Much of the novel occurs through sheer luck or coincidence, as when Matt and Andrew arrive at the Herk residence the same night as Henry and Leonard, or Snake and Eddie arrive to rob the Jolly Jackal just as Arthur is leaving with the briefcase bomb. These encounters are very common throughout the novel, as characters are constantly running into one another by chance. Arthur's life is similarly saved in this fashion. Puggy and Snake both manage to accomplish a great deal by simply being in the right place at the right time. Some of the characters constantly suffer from bad luck. Henry and Leonard are never able to shoot Arthur because random events keep getting in their way. Monica tries desperately to rescue Jenny and Puggy, but cannot get help because of a random event at the airport involving an escaped python. Eliot, who suffers from poor...