Near the end of the book, in a Newsreel, Dos Passos writes, “America our nation has been beaten by strangers who have turned our language inside out who have taken the clean words our fathers spoke and made them slimy and foul.” This sentiment is embodied by Moorehouse, who skillfully manipulates language to exploit others for his personal benefit. He has turned the once plentiful opportunities in America into a tale of success built on lies, self-interest, corruption, and greed.

Throughout the trilogy, characters often discuss the theme of materialism. Behind the scenes, the wealthy engage in secretive dealings to amass more wealth, even as unfortunate soldiers lose their lives on the battlefield. The Peace Conference is marred by corporate interests, ensuring their priorities come first. Those who achieve financial success and garner respect—such as Moorehouse, Margo Dowling, and Eleanor Stoddard—are depicted as greedy, superficial, and materialistic. Conversely, the few selfless individuals, like Ben Compton and Mary French, live in poverty.

The book frequently explores the challenges faced by the working class. Characters such as Mac McCreary, Joe Williams, and Janey Williams—despite her prestigious position as Moorehouse’s secretary—are overwhelmed by the oppressive system. Janey's situation is especially disheartening; she perceives her service to Moorehouse as a great privilege. She is thoroughly entrenched in capitalist ideology and ultimately gains little from it. J. Ward Moorehouse and Margo Dowling exploit the naivety and lack of sophistication of the working class—Moorehouse through their production and consumption of his advertised goods, and Margo through their attendance at her movies. Ben Compton and Mary French strive to improve conditions for workers but fail. Charley Anderson and Dick Savage attempt to profit from the system but do not survive its harsh realities. Furthermore, the detailed focus on the workers' plight in the “Mary French” chapters and the depiction of the Sacco-Vanzetti trial in The Big Money highlight how the system is structured to oppress workers.

The stark contrast between the affluent owners and the laborers is vividly depicted in numerous biographies, especially those about influential figures like Carnegie, Keith, Morgan, Wilson, Hearst, Taylor, and Ford. These works also portray critics of capitalism, such as Haywood, Debs, La Follette, Reed, Hibben, Everest, and Veblen.

Ultimately, just as capitalism corrupts and confines the workers, it also ensnares the affluent. While they may lead lives of luxury and excess, they are no happier than the poorest individuals and, in some cases, even more miserable. The system ultimately benefits no one. The book’s wealthy and influential characters meet no better fates than its most oppressed workers.

Although most characters in the novel come from traditional family backgrounds, none manage to establish healthy families or relationships themselves. The idea of "free love" is trendy, and the story is filled with casual flings, visits to sex workers, unintended pregnancies, abortions, divorces, and sexual scandals. The male characters use sex similarly to alcohol, as a way to numb their senses and minds instead of enlivening them. Likewise, many female characters engage in sexual activities to boost their self-worth, feeling appreciated because someone desires them. After these encounters, there is an unspoken and vague longing for marriage, driven more by societal norms than true affection. Often, women become pregnant and, under pressure from their male partners, resort to illegal abortions. Many men, along with some women, contract sexually transmitted diseases. Dos Passos consistently portrays sex as lacking emotional, spiritual, or intellectual depth; it is depicted as mindless, mechanical, repetitive, and ultimately unfulfilling, reflecting the lives of his characters. Even Ben Compton and Mary French, the novel's most...