Summary

In Chapter 18, Paul, unable to reach a firm decision on how to proceed with the memorial, decides to schedule a public hearing on the issue. Meanwhile, Mo becomes focused on trying to win over greater portions of the public to his side. He hires a personal public relations representative and engages more heavily in representing himself to the public. Mo reluctantly cuts his hair and shaves his beard to look less like a stereotypical image of a Muslim. Mo attends the public hearing about the memorial. At the beginning of the hearing, Paul lets Mo make a statement. Mo gives a prepared speech about the garden’s artistic influences and what it is meant to symbolize. People in the audience repeatedly interrupt Mo and call him a liar. Following Mo, a series of scheduled speakers give statements and arguments. Most of the speakers are...