The Walls of Jericho · Chapter
Chapter XX explained
Shine, recovering from a minor injury, visits Harlem Hospital and overhears an intern mention Linda Young as a patient.
What happens
Shine, recovering from a minor injury, visits Harlem Hospital and overhears an intern mention Linda Young as a patient. He learns she was attacked at work and is hospitalized with a sprained ankle and shock. Enraged, he storms off, determined to find the culprit.
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
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak of the protagonist’s interna…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Isolation and Connection
Shine's internal change and his connection to Linda are highlighted as he navigates the impersonal hospital system to find her.
- Power and Control
The assault on Linda represents a violent assertion of power, and Shine's rage reflects his desire to regain control and protect her.
Characters to notice
- Pat
Visits the hospital for his injury, overhears about Linda's condition, and reacts with fury.
- Linda Young
Hospitalized in Ward VII after an assault; resting comfortably but in shock.
Key passages
“Shine, the disciple of hardness, would not in any imaginable situation have been guilty of a surrender like that.”
Shine, who prided himself on being tough, would never have acted so submissively before.
Shine's character change is noted as he follows Linda's advice to see a doctor.
“The intern finished his dressing after a fashion and bustled the dazed Shine out, hurrying on past him.”
The intern quickly bandaged Shine and rushed him out, eager to move on.
Shine is distracted by the mention of Linda's name.
