The $90 million is the symbol of greed and corruption that drives the story. The money moves through the story, corrupting everyone it touches. The symbol of money in the novel is connected to its forensic detail and the exploration of good, evil and temptation. The money was a vehicle for corruption from the very beginning. It came from the company that routinely cheated the government. Benny Aricia was always greedy for money and recognition. Tempted by greed, he framed his company for fraud and cheated the government. He then corrupted Patrick’s law firm and Senator Nye, who all want the money. The money then corrupted Patrick, who stole it from the thieves who stole it from other thieves. This cascade of money shows the contagion of greed and the prioritization of success and wealth above all else. The tracing of the money and its intangible nature as bank wires is a symbol of the intangible nature of moral values and the novel’s presentation of the $90 million as something which can disappear again and again creates irony about its hollow meaning.

Patrick’s plan to escape to freedom goes astray when he decides to also take the money.