Less Than Zero

Less Than Zero was made into a 20th Century Fox film by British film director Marek Kanievska. In the film version, Clay is not a drug user and tries to rescue his friends from their addictions. Why might the director have made this substantive change to the character, and what effects does this choice have on those who have read the book and view the film?

The novel does not show Clay returning to New Hampshire, nor does it feature a resolution of the relationship between Blair and Clay in the form of either ending or reviving their relationship. Does the novel exhibit a resolution? If not, why not? If so, how?

Ellis chose not to give his chapters titles. What is the effect of this decision? What discernible structure does the novel, with its chapter divisions and breaks within the chapters, have?

How does the setting of Los Angeles contribute to the novel’s plot? Can the city of Los Angeles be considered a character in the novel?

Music plays an important role in the novel. In addition to locating the text in a specific historical moment, music figures in the close of the novel, as Clay contemplates the lyrics to a song called “Los Angeles.” Do Ellis and/or his characters locate any meaning in music, or are these references superficial?

Drugs, ranging from marijuana to heroin, figure prominently in the novel. They are so ubiquitous that the readers—like the characters—become desensitized to them. Does the novel countenance or condemn drug use, or does it remain neutral on the issue? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

The novel could arguably be called a Bildungsroman, or a coming-of-age story. Novels in this category generally witness the protagonist changing and developing in some way. Does Clay exhibit change or growth throughout the novel? If so, how? If not, how does this affect the impact or authenticity of the text?

Ellis’s characters are generally aimless and without purpose. Does the novel also lack a central message or purpose? If so, what is it? If not, is this purpose necessary for a novel to be worth the investment of time and money required to read it?