Chapter 23 Summary

Dwayne, an accomplished speed reader, rapidly completes the book. The book convinces him that he is, indeed, the only freethinking organism in the entire Universe, and believes that everyone else, living or dead, is simply a pre-programmed robot. Dwayne then goes on a psychotic rampage of violence. He first crosses the lounge to his son Bunny and smashes his face repeatedly against the piano. He assaults a few other lounge patrons and then runs outside where he attempts to assault Wayne, who is once again loitering in the parking lot. Wayne is quite good at avoiding Dwayne's punches, however, and eventually Dwayne gives up trying to hit him Instead, he delivers a brief observation and a fragmented lecture on putatively proper race relations and slavery.

Chapter 23 Analysis

The long-foretold rampage of Dwayne finally comes to pass in Chapter 23. As predicted since Chapter 1, Dwayne's...