General Sternwood is a wealthy, elderly man living in Los Angeles. He is the owner of a large estate and is known for his declining health and advanced age. Sternwood is a World War I veteran and has a complicated family life, including two daughters, Carmen Sternwood and Vivian Sternwood, who are both troubled in their own ways. The General is a central character in the novel The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler. His character represents themes of decay and moral ambiguity, as he seeks help to resolve issues involving his daughters and their entanglements with the criminal underworld.