Guilt

Guilt is a recurring theme throughout the 14 stories that make up this book, and is central to what makes Socrates who he is. While the terrible murders that he went to prison for continue to weigh heavily on his conscience even 35 years later, Socrates’ feelings of guilt are not confined to that single episode in his life. Through a series of flashback scenes, dreams, and memories, the reader understands that the guilt Socrates feels goes back to events that occurred long before he committed the murders, encompass events that happened throughout his 27 years in prison and even extend to things that have happened during the eight years he has lived in Watts. His need to reconcile his deeds in the past with who he is now is central to how he deals with other characters and situations in the book.

Socrates is not the only character in the...