Also although Augusta worked as a prostitute, she obtained a big amount of money when his uncle Joe passed away and instead of saving it she makes waste in an unnecessary way.
Also the truth is that no one works for money only Henry and Tooley’s boyfriend (Julian). Henry worked as a bank manager while Julian is an artist but the paintings in which he’s working reflects one of Greene’s satiric trusts taken from the painter Andy Warhol, the New York artist who gained fame by painting every day objects like soup cans. This is a little joke about art.
Greene has given us this tale of uncommon imagination and humour, through which he criticises social values and institutions. This leaves the reader see the problems of the decade he was in touch with.
Graham Greene also mocks Religion. The best example and also the funniest is the dog’s church made by Curran which would help any dog until its death. “At Brighton Curran would offer the last sacrament in the form of a ritual bone”. Another clue is that although Augusta is supposed to be catholic, she doesn’t practise or attend any religious.
Again, a lack of respect is shown when Augusta tells Henry the ridiculous story of the Monsignor where Mr. Visconti is disguised as a priest. This story suggests that Visconti is unscrupulous and lecherous (`Yes, yes, my child.´ I can just see him enjoying the chance he had of learning a thing or two, even though his life was in danger. Mr. Visconti was a very lecherous man. He said, `Always the same thing, my child? ), unsconscient of the things he does (`Mr. Visconti must have a great deal on his conscience.´ `Mr. Visconti hasn’t got a conscience´ my aunt said with pleasure.)
The author, Graham Greene mocks law and order in several parts of the book. At the beginning Henry feels frightened towards police and he would never do something illegal, this means that he reacts in a common way. This is shown when he lets the police officer pass into his house with out complaining.
Afterwards, we discover that pot was introduced in Henry’s mother’s urn. “I said so firmly `I hope you have a good excuse for failing to return the ashes´ I certainly do sir. There’s more cannabis than ashes in your urn”. Then the author, Graham Greene introduces the first fact that shows Henry’s change of personality, because he speaks in a rude manner and even more he compares himself with her aunt. “`Police business of course´ I said `What other business do you deal in? ´ It was almost as though my aunt were speaking through me”.
A more clear example, which shows that Graham mocks law, is when aunt Augusta tells Henry that Wordswoth worked as a loader and during his working hours he stole gold, diamonds and money from the passenger’s luggage. This shows how corruption can appear in every place without prevention. Another example is when Augusta plans how to pass the red bag throudgh the customs at Heathrow and how easily she does this.
Greene mocks also traditional male and female roles. Normally the man tends to help the woman but Greene doesn’t express any acceptance towards this, because Augusta is trying to obtain some money in order to give to Mr. Visconti. Again this lack of respect is shown when Tooley and Henry meet in the Orient Express: Although Tooley is younger she is sexually active while Henry is older and is still virgin.
