The novel explores the myth of America and how it can be toxic, especially in modern society. Perry Smith embodies the American dreamer. He studies the dictionary to enhance his vocabulary and has a fondness for difficult, obscure words. He strongly believes in self-improvement, a notably American fixation. Perry dreams of hunting for diamonds and buried treasure, prompting the killers to head to Mexico. As Perry begins to understand that his dreams are unattainable in America, he considers the idea of sailing around the world, lost in dreams. This has been a lifelong pattern for Perry.

As readers observe Perry wandering across the American landscape, they come to realize that this vast nation, which seems to offer so much, often delivers very little. It starts to feel overwhelmingly large, almost monstrous. The immense size can swallow an individual in its indifferent vastness. It becomes a place where the weak and disillusioned can quietly disappear into its cracks or become ensnared by its deceptive possibilities, ultimately leading to anger and frustration that overshadow any existing moral sense. The overwhelming nature of the country becomes even more apparent during the search for the killers. The police uncover their identities by chance. The same landscape that shapes Perry Smith absorbs him again, enveloping him in its vastness and concealing him. At one point, they even pause once more in Kansas, remaining undetected.