The Sun Does Shine: Chapter 12 Summary & Analysis

Every night, Ray prays for the truth to come out. He refers back to John 8:32: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” He receives a few letters from Santha, who apologizes for not being able to visit again—she is busy preparing a petition for relief from a death sentence. Holman allows prisoners to visit the law library once a week for an hour. For the previous three years Ray refused his time, but now he goes every week. He learns that even if a jury says life in prison, a judge in Alabama can override that ruling and still sentence a person to death.

Back in his cell, Ray shouts to the other men about judicial override, and they agree that it’s unfair—one man is even on death row because of it. He says that the police lied and said he took a dollar from the man he killed, which is how he got a capital case. Ray asks the man’s name; when the man hesitates, Ray starts talking about the pies his mother used to make. The man says his mother makes a pretty good pie herself, and he says his name is Henry. Ray apologizes for what happened in Henry’s case.

Two weeks later, on July 13, 1990, the guards execute Wallace Thomas, and the inmates bang on the bars so that he knows that his life matters. A few weeks after his death, Santha writes a handwritten note to Ray, explaining that she’s halfway done with his petition. She’s sorry not to be able to visit, and she’ll send the petition when she’s done. She also writes her home phone number on the bottom of the letter. Ray reads it over and over again—he’s happy to have something to read to occupy his mind, as they can’t have books.

Ray recalls his time in the coal mine, when he would travel in his mind. He imagines visiting the Queen of England in Buckingham palace and having tea with her. The Queen asks to help Ray in any way she can, and he says that he’ll find a way to get home. Ray is happy to be treated with respect as she gives him a tour of the palace and they play croquet for hours.

The guards rouse Ray from his daydreams with a start, telling him that he has visitors. Ray is confused: it’s only Wednesday, and visiting days are Friday. But when Ray sees his mom, Lester, Lester’s mom Phoebe, and Lester’s new wife Sia, Ray realizes that it is Friday, and he completely skipped over Thursday. Ray realizes that he has found a third way to leave death row—not by being released, or carried out in a body bag, but by escaping in his mind. After the visit, Ray returns to his cell and imagines arriving back at his mom’s house and greeting her as a free man.