Chapter Thirty-Eight Summary

Dr. Dole tells Eugene how much she also dislikes her own country of Berlin, where she had been residing prior to her interview at Tarkington College the day before the riots. Eugene defends America, saying at least citizens here have free speech. Dr. Dole laughs and counters that free speech is not given to someone, but something they must assert for themselves in order for it to have any meaning. She implies that few and far between are the Americans who use free speech as anything more than a grumbling here and there. Eugene introduces a final character to his narrative in the form of Harley Wheelock III, a hostage who manages to free himself and avail Eugene's help during the riots. Wheelock's father served in Vietnam, and Wheelock figures himself something of a rightwing action hero type. He takes command...