Part 2 Summary and Analysis

Chapter six begins with the comment that there is little privacy in a small town, but that people have a tendency to overlook things they don't want to see or can't believe to be true. This is how it's explained that Ed could live in a community with a total population of some six hundred people and for a decade get away with murder and grave robbing, slipping steadily into madness. There are some who cite the condition of the farm as a sign of "shiftlessness," but he is generally regarded as a hardworking man. He's commonly hired for handyman jobs such as painting. When anyone needs a hand, they call on Ed. This includes favors that are done without pay, such as taking a neighbor to town or babysitting. When Ed is among those hired for harvest time, he often...