As general the topic may be, at the end of the novel, I was most aware of its gender representations. The fact that Case is a cowboy and Molly a street-samurai sets the stage for a paradoxical and certainly complex relationship between genders. The traditional cowboy belongs to a vast, unexplored frontier with horses and Native Americans with rifles. In the case of the street-samurai, I envision a grittier existence that requires a strong sense of street knowledge. Upon their meeting, it is established that Case is a self-deprecating drug addict who needs the help of dominant Molly.