Jake's Idyllic Life
After introducing the Hailey family in light of the extreme tragedy of their daughter's kidnapping and subsequent rape, Grisham shifts focus to Jake's idyllic life in a big Victorian home in Clanton. He describes the scene of Jake leaving for work: "Max was still barking and had awakened the army of bluejays that lived in Mrs. Pickle’s maple tree. They sang to him and called farewell as he smiled and whistled in return" (20). Almost like Snow White, Jake is shown whistling and singing to birds, crossing his green lawn, and reveling in a sunny day.
Outside Tank's Tonk
Jake needs information on how to reach Lester, so he stops by his favorite honky-tonk. Grisham describes the scene: "The juke box blasted from the open windows, and he thought he heard a bottle crash on the floor, or across a table or someone’s head. He hesitated beside his car and decided to leave. No, it was important. He sucked in his stomach, held his breath, and opened the ragged wooden door" (294). The honky-tonks represent controlled disorder. They are areas specifically designed to create a space for people to blow off steam and get all of their rowdiness out. Grisham demonstrates earlier in the novel how when tonks are outlawed, crime increases, because people have no designated space to act violently. Here, Grisham briefly describes the environment.
The Hollywood
When Jake takes Ellen to The Hollywood for a celebratory dinner, it marks an important moment when their relationship treads dangerously close to romance. Grisham writes:
Next to the door was a small stage, where a beautiful old black lady, Merle, sat at her piano and sang “Rainy Night in Georgia.” Three long rows of tables ran to the front and stopped next to the stage. The tables were half full, and a waitress in the back poured beer from a pitcher and motioned for them to come on in. She seated them in the rear, at a small table with a red-checkered tablecloth. (336-337)
The Hollywood is an image of Southern hospitality and folksy charm. The checkered tablecloths and live music feed the atmosphere of romance.
Peaceful Protest
Grisham describes the peaceful protests outside the Ford County courthouse as Carl Lee's trial presses on:
The blacks were peaceful. They opened their coolers and picnic baskets, and shared with each other. They congregated in the shade, but there were not enough trees to go around. They filled the courthouse in search of cold water and restrooms. They walked the sidewalks and gazed in the windows of the closed shops and stores. Fearing trouble from the horde, the Coffee Shop and the Tea Shoppe had closed during lunch. Outside of Claude’s, they lined the sidewalk for a block and a half. (469)
Despite the fact that there are 15,000 protesters in Clanton, a number far higher than the total population, Grisham describes how the protesters don't create chaos, but instead, fostered community.
