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Chapter 23
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Dry, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Human Cost of Climate Change
Justice
Urban vs. Rural
Friendship
Summary
Analysis
Falk and Sergeant Raco go to Whitlam to look at surveillance footage from the school. They watch Karen come to school on her last day, pushing Charlotte in stroller and with Billy right behind her. Falk thinks Karen might be crying in the footage, but after watching it multiple times, no one is sure. They keep watching until Whitlam’s car is the only one left in the parking lot. Then Whitlam appears with his jaw clenched tight. Whitlam explains to Falk and Raco that this footage shows the moment after he heard about the murders from the Clyde police.
The constant references to surveillance footage once again show how residents of a small town face constant observation. But this passage also shows how despite all that observation, people can hold on to secrets: even with the clear footage, it isn’t possible to tell if Karen is crying or what thought is causing Whitlam’s clenched jaw.
Themes
Falk and Sergeant Raco go back to the station to review more surveillance footage from around town with Barnes. They’re all getting tired after watching so much footage. But then Barnes finds some footage of Sullivan, driving his car near the pharmacy just an hour before the discovery of Karen and Billy’s bodies.
Although Dow now seems to be the prime suspect, Falk and Raco have already caught Sullivan in a lie, and his discovery in an unusual location just before the murder raises questions about what Sullivan was doing.
Themes
Falk and Sergeant Raco go to examine the spot where Sullivan was driving in the surveillance footage. He was close enough to have committed or witnessed the murders. Tired, they call it quits for the day, and on the way back, Raco gets a call from his wife and pulls over to take it. He happens to stop near the milk bar where Ellie used to work, so Falk goes inside to look around.
While the focus of the novel is the murder investigation, the story also contains clear moments where the characters show that they are not just one-dimensional detectives. Falk earlier put off the investigation to have lunch with Gretchen, and now Raco stops to talk with his wife and go home.
Themes
In the milk bar, one of Falk’s old classmates is behind the counter and refuses to serve him, saying he heard from Mandy that Falk was back in town. Falk gets mad, but eventually walks out without buying anything. When he gets back at the car, Sergeant Raco says his wife insists that Falk come to their place for dinner.
The server’s rejection of Falk further shows how gossip affects life in a small town like Kiewarra. Perhaps because Raco is also still new in town, or because Raco’s search for the truth leads him to disregard gossip, he welcomes Falk into his home despite what anyone else in town thinks.
Themes
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