The Post Office

For many years, Henry worked as a postal clerk for the United States Postal Service. Henry had quit his secure job to pursue writing full-time. Throughout the novel, he refers to the post office as a sort of secure but intolerable situation, and makes it analogous to a living hell. On one humorous occasion, Henry receives a mail delivery from a postal employee who peers into Henry's apartment and is astounded to see two partially nude young women cavorting about. In the novel, the post office is a symbol for traditional values.

Los Angeles

The novel is set in Los Angeles, California, where Henry Chinaski lives. Nearly all of the novel's action transpires in Los Angeles, and Henry identifies strongly with the city. When Henry leaves Los Angeles, he generally feels disoriented and lost. Although he does not fully develop the theme of Los Angeles...