Chapter 10 - 11

Chapter 10 (Present/Past)

perspective shifts constantly in this chapter between past and present
body under Silas‘ old bed was that of Tina Rutherford, had been lying there for a while
Silas had lied about the reasons for being at the cabin
Silas directs traffic for Tina‘s funeral and takes a shift standing guard over Larry in the hospital, who remained in his coma and who was being watched by police
Silas becomes aware that a "stringy" man has tried to see Larry, and catches a glimpse of the man himself
also becomes aware that Angie is desperately trying to get hold of him, warns the unconscious Larry that when he wakes up, things are going to be bad for him
Silas gets a call that Ina is having a good day and visits her, she recognizes him as Larry‘s old friend, also recognizes Larry in the photograph that Silas shows her (the one of Alice and Larry)
Ina refers to Alice as their maid, tells him that Alice became pregnant and had to leaver her employ
slips back into dementia
Silas spends time with Angie and she firmly tells him to finish the story he began earlier
narrative slips into past: the beginning of the affair between Silas (then a high-school baseball star) and Cindy who was desperate to get out of Chabot and change her life
affair went on for several months, and although they kept it secret, Alice still knows about it and urges Silas to stop it
the next weekend - Silas tells this in the present time - Cindy disappeared: SILAS was the boyfriend Cindy was supposed to meet when she had that arrangement with Larry
Silas thinks Cindy was never really pregnant
tells Angie that he and Cindy argued $\rightarrow$ he left her where she was supposed to meet Larry; when he got back home, Alice arranged for him to go to another highschool
he forgot about Cindy and Larry and didn‘t think of the consequences until he moved back to Chabot
Silas and Angie come to the conclusion that it must have been Cecil who had killed Cindy
go back to Angie’s home, where they spend a sexless night together (which is unusual for them)
next morning, Silas drives to Larry‘s home to feed the chickens and to contemplate his next move; he knows now what is missing out of him: courage
Silas‘ signal light is broken
Silas gets a call that Larry has finally woken up

Chapter 11 (Present)

Larry‘s point of view, narrating his flashes of memory (of the shooting, of being in the ambulance, of Silas visiting) and of consciousness as he wakes up
learns that Silas saved his life; that Tina Rutherford is dead and that she was found in the cabin on his property and that he is the suspect of her murder and of shooting himself
asks about his chickens and worries whether they were fed, is relieved when he is told that Silas fed the chickens
Larry is interviewed by Sheriff Lolly (who was one of the junior investigators when Cindy Walker was killed) and by Chief French
French mentions several pieces of evidence: the fact that Larry never sold the piece of land with the cabin $\rightarrow$ suggests that Larry killed both girls and then wanted to kill himself out of remorse
Larry‘s mind races through memories and images, can‘t understand why he is suspected
French tells him that the only way he‘ll ever feel better about what he did "is to own up and pay the price." The chapter ends with Larry saying "okay"

Function

a lot of layers of truth are both peeled away and revealed in those two chapters, making the sequence of events more significant
entwining of theme and action also manifests in style of chapter 10: the interaction of past and present happens quickly, tightly, and with increasing energy
key theme: exploration of "coming of age", or of growing up
Silas is forced to admit the truth of his past, he is finally "growing up" and faces responsibilities he should have faced years ago
$\rightarrow$ realization of the answer to his mother‘s question
answer to why Silas did certain things (feeding chickens, lying about why he was at the cabin, standing guard over Larry)
$\rightarrow$ Silas’ revelation of what happened between him, Cindy, and Larry
$\rightarrow$ Silas feels guilty about what happened to Larry as a consequence of Cindy‘s disappearance, and in doing what he does for Larry, is trying to make it up to him
theme of racism: mixed-race relationship between Silas and Cindy being looked at unfavorably in that part of the world
other elements: Silas‘ broken signal light foreshadows further breakdowns in the vehicle, the long-awaited answer to the question posed by Alice about what was missing in Silas‘ character
Chapter 11 rather unique in narrative technique: only chapter that makes the reader experience one of the characters so deeply, so thoroughly, and so presently
up to that point, reader only knew of the thoughts and feelings of Silas and Larry
yet, the moment when Larry comes out of his coma is much more empathic
incidents in that chapter put pressure on Larry, just as the two investigators (Lolly and French)
add a layer of uncertainty to the reader‘s experience: reader should have picked up rather clear indications that Larry is innocent of the crimes at this point
$\rightarrow$ will not wonder whether Larry is really innocent, but whether evidence that he is innocent will be presented in time, and whether he will be seen as innocent