This chapter echoes the opening paradox of being there and not being there. Anticipation of Jefferson's imminent execution is palpable, but Jefferson is not a major part of this chapter; Gruesome Gerty, however, is a major character as it winds its way through town in a journey reminiscent of the Way of the Cross. The execution will occur between noon and 3 P.M. on Friday, the same time-frame as that of Jesus's crucifixion, another parallel to the Christian drama of human salvation. We can almost see the faith of Miss Emma, Tante Lou, and Rev. Ambrose being played out at Jefferson's end as he experiences death and rebirth at the same time.
Note that, in portraying Gruesome Gerty as one of the key players in the unfolding drama of Jefferson's life, the author uses personification — a linguistic device that attributes human characteristics to inanimate objects. In effect, Gerty is depicted as the personification of evil. As she is paraded down the streets of Bayonne, she strikes fear into the hearts of its citizens. We can surmise that part of the fear is due to their guilt, as Gerty forces them to admit that, by not taking a stand against a racist system that perpetuates crime and violence, they are all responsible for Jefferson's death. Gerty's ominous presence and the awful noise from her generator also force the reader to focus on the reality of capital punishment and to consider the mentality of the people involved in planning and carrying out the execution.
