Chapter XXIII The Red Tide Summary and Analysis

A red tide, consisting of an explosion of plankton growth in the ocean that kills anything caught in it, comes to Manzanillo. Very hot weather combined with the stench of rotting fish makes life miserable. Kesey, Faye and the children, Mountain Girl, George Walker and Black Maria live in a house by the beach. Babbs, with his children, and Gretchen Fetchin live in an old Purina Chow factory fifty yards away. They live off of money telegraphed by Kesey's lawyer from the States. Hagan has broken a leg and has enough trouble with the cast that he must be brought back to the hospital. Mountain Girl marries George Walker in order to have Mexican benefits for her soon-to-be-born daughter, Sunshine.

Sandy Lehmann-Haupt and Bob Stone show up, Sandy on a motorcycle. Kesey and...