Book 2, Part 6 Summary

On one level,, Part 6 of the second book of Mailer's tome is an intimate portrayal of a convict's last night in maximum security prior to a sunrise (7:49 a.m.) appointment with a firing squad. It provides insights not only into the convict's behavior but also into the attitudes of the institution and the emotions of those close to him who make a macabre party in his suite of cells. On another level, it is an intricate examination of the dynamics of American criminal law, from the Circuit level to the Supreme Courts, which emerges either as magnificent and heroic or cruel and frivolous, depending on whether one views it from a rational or an emotional perspective.

While all sorts of legal maneuvering is going on between the State of Utah, as represented by the ACLU, the NAACP and the attorney for...