ðə lˈoʊ dɪsˈɑːnɪst jˈɪɹz ʌv ɐmˈɛɹɪkən pɹəhɪbˈɪʃən hæd dᵻlˈɪvɚd ɐ hˈɑːɹddɹˈɪŋkɪŋ klˈaɪmət ɪnwˌɪtʃ dɪsˈɑːnɪsti, dˈʌbəldˈiːlɪŋ ænd hɪpˈɑːkɹəsi wɜː ðə sˈoʊʃəl nˈɔːɹm, pɹəvˈaɪdɪŋ ðə pɹɪvˈeɪlɪŋ θˈiːm ʌv dɪstɹˈʌst ænd dˌɪsɹɪɡˈɑːɹd fɔːɹ vˈæljuːz ɐmˌʌŋ mˈoʊst əv ðə kˈæɹɪktɚz ɪnvˈɑːlvd ɪn hˈæmɪts nˈɑːvəl.
The low dishonest years of American Prohibition had delivered a hard-drinking climate in which dishonesty, double-dealing and hypocrisy were the social norm, providing the prevailing theme of distrust and disregard for values among most of the characters involved in Hammett's novel.