The Fire in the Flint · Chapter
Chapter XV explained
The Klan holds a large meeting, incited by Ed Stewart's false claims of a Negro plot led by Kenneth Harper.
What happens
The Klan holds a large meeting, incited by Ed Stewart's false claims of a Negro plot led by Kenneth Harper. Meanwhile, Kenneth is called to operate on Mary Ewing, a white woman, in a life-threatening emergency, despite the racial tensions.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
Kenneth’s emotional peak is the eruption of all his repressed hatred and bitterness—fueled by the day’s revela…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Racial Injustice and Oppression
The Klan's meeting and the conspiracy to frame the cooperative society as a murder plot highlight systemic racism.
- Violence and Terror
The Klan's threats of lynching and murder create an atmosphere of terror.
- Idealism vs. Reality
Kenneth's professional idealism clashes with the reality of racial prejudice when he is called to operate on a white patient.
Characters to notice
- Kenneth Harper
Called to operate on Mary Ewing, a white woman, in a critical emergency.
- Ed Stewart
Speaker at the Klan meeting, falsely accusing Kenneth of leading a plot.
- Sheriff Parker
Exalted Cyclops of the Klan, plotting to frame the cooperative society.
- Dr. Bennett
Unable to diagnose Mary Ewing, calls Kenneth for help.
- Mary Ewing
Critically ill, undergoing emergency surgery by Kenneth.
- Roy Ewing
Struggles with allowing a Negro doctor to operate on his daughter.
Key passages
“White civilization in the South is tottering on its throne!”
The speaker claims that white supremacy is under threat.
Ed Stewart's inflammatory rhetoric at the Klan meeting.
“Would you have a nigger see her naked?”
Roy Ewing expresses outrage at the idea of a Black doctor examining his daughter.
Reflects the deep-seated racism even in a life-or-death situation.
