Chapter 17 - 19
Chapter 17 (Present)
- told from Larry‘s point of view, features Silas‘ visitors
- Angie who reconciles with Silas and invites Larry to her church and finally Chief French, who tells both Silas and Larry that Stringfellow has also been linked to the death of M&M, and that the press is determined to interview them both, adding that he wants them to just stick to the facts of the story and not get into whatever personal disputes are between them
- Ms. Voncille brings flowers; the Mayor jokes with Silas about directing traffic; a couple of deputies tell Silas about the rest of the of the snakes found in Stringfellow’s home
- Chief French tells both Silas and Larry that Stringfellow has also been linked to the death of M&M
- Silas is discharged, promising to visit Larry again
- after he left, Larry tells the nurse that doesn‘t want to be moved to a new room
- Silas is interviewed by a reporter, reporter thinks she is going to win awards with that story
- Mayor and Voncille interview Silas afterwards, Silas is being promoted
- thanks them, but claims that he‘ll only accept their offer after they‘ve read the article in the paper
- at Angie‘s, he is being pampered; the next day he visits Larry with a box of mail
- Larry doesn‘t say anything, and Silas stays for an hour
- Silas then goes and visits Larry‘s mother
- afterwards, he and Angie clean up Larry‘s house
- Silas spends a moment with the rifle that he had been given by Larry, which he had carefully cleaned
- during the next four visits from Silas, Larry is consistent in staying silent
- Larry gets a positive report from his doctor; goes to the front door of the hospital, where he sees all the press waiting to interview him and heads back to the elevator
- the same night, he walks out of the hospital unnoticed - except by a security guard who calls Silas
- Silas gets in his jeep and, after a rough start, drives off to find Larry
- gives Larry a ride through town and to Larry‘s house
- Larry stays silent mostly except for noticing that the jeep is running rough
- Silas asks Larry whether he might be interested in repairing it, and Larry says it‘ll be a while before he‘s able to work again
- Larry is given a plastic bag with his wallet, keys, and cell phone and as Silas pulls away, Larry calls to him to bring the jeep by the next day
- entering the house, Larry discovers the cleaning and other things that Silas and Angie have done for him (including installing satellite TV and having fed the chickens properly
- Larry goes to bed, reminding himself to call Silas in the morning and get him to pick up some parts for the jeep
- tension between past (Larry‘s involvement in the death of Cindy Walker; the secret that Silas had kept) and the present has been resolved by answering both questions
no need to return to the past
- the truth has set them free, and the narrative is more interested now in what they‘re will be doing with that newly-gained freedom
- Silas wants to continue making amends for having concealed the truth about Larry‘s involvement in the death of Cindy Walker
- final chapter, which is told from both their points of view (previously jumping between Silas‘ and Larry‘s points of view)
- chain of events around Silas‘ car and Larry‘s decision to repair it can be seen as a metaphoric representation of the theme of friendship (and of racism, due to the friendships‘ transcendence of race)
- last line of the book: Larry finally opens himself to the possibility that the most important friendship of his life can be if not renewed, at least re-examined
- last line is summing up the theme of friendship, it’s also summing up the "coming of age" theme