The tempo of the narrative continues to increase as the novel rushes to a conclusion. A high state of excitement is set in motion by the rapid succession of stirring events. As a counterpoint, the reader is conscious of important activities, happening at the same time in various places.
In the rejection of Sikes by his former comrades, we see another example of how totally the thief-turned-murderer is disowned. He is now outside the concern of his own kind. By killing Nancy, he has severed the bond of mutual interest. The unanimous clamor of the crowd for retribution further proclaims universal condemnation of the taking of any human life.
The setting for the final performance of Sikes's violent career is appropriate. There is wry irony in his defiant yell to the crowd: "I'll cheat you yet!" A melodramatic peak is reached as the bloodthirsty mob roars and shrieks at the fugitive trapped on the roof of the dilapidated building. The apparition of Nancy's accusing eyes, causing Sykes to slip and plunge to his death, fulfills some traditional concepts of "poetic justice." The gruesome death of Sykes's dog then pushes melodrama into the region of the absurd.
