Author – Lone Wolf

This novel is mainly based on four points – Opportunistic politics, Robust judicial system, Religion, Racism.

You can have two views to see this — the first is apolitical for which it is a brilliant novel as it focuses on the robust judicial system, exposes filthy politics and adds a pinch of salt of religion to make it tasty and edible.

But politically if you try to write an exposition of it you will be disappointed as the author finds every way possible to mitigate racism and put the emphasis on a robust judicial system, filthy politics and the nefarious nexus of both.

Religion has been very significantly explored in this book. A White boy at the end of his life changes his testimony — for religion. This real criminal confides his guilt to the white pastor out of fear of religion. The Pastor then runs to save an innocent black man, who is on the verge of being falsely executed — again for religion. The Pastor feels sorry for the real criminal due to his cancer and helps him by risking his career — for religion. There is a kind of monument of a girl which was built so that people can worship there, to feel sympathetic and hear many other sermons — again for religion.

Throughout the novel, the author’s main focus is to expose the nefarious nexus of the robust judicial system and the role of politics in it — the Black boy was falsely made to confess by a white detective, false testimony was given by the white boy to solidify the black kid’s incarnation, the white prosecutor falsely accused and held him guilty, the white jury and judges order executed without any evidence. All of it puts a bad light on the robust judicial system but hides in the plain fact that all these white people behaved so because of racism towards black people. No labour has been done to put forth this fact. Rather attempts are made to manipulate, gaslight black people and mitigate racism. Every time black people are shown as a criminal if they are mentioned at all. While a very sympathetic story about the real criminal, a white man, is conveyed more to make people feel empathetic by putting his heart-wrenching childhood front and centre. His childhood is also put up as an excuse for his criminal behaviour. All the men who fight for black man’s innocence are white, the pastor who is shown as a hero, who runs to save an innocent man without caring for his career is white.

The story that is built on the foundation of the false incarceration of an innocent man has no significant role for the black people in it. Amazing. They are mostly shown in a crowd during a bloody protest or in the family or as examples of criminal cases.

Meanwhile, the white lawyer puts himself forward to save a black man, the white judge felt sympathetic for a black man’s execution, the pastor tries his best to save said black man, white teammates come forward to extend their solidarity against wrong execution with their black teammates. All pure gaslighting. For an apolitical person, it might be a fairy tale.

Different churches for blacks and whites, different graveyards for blacks and whites … A mortuary is owned by blacks… Every time emphasis on a black and white background… Black ink on white paper. Many such instances show the perfect hidden racism of the author.

As for the death penalty, not much can be said… Most of the marginalised die in this. So I oppose it for marginalised and support it for oppressors but such things can’t happen so its better to oppose it. As only we will pay. Marginalised will pay. Oppressor somehow will get away with it. So better to oppose it.

The writer has taken to reading books in the current quarantine and is always on the lookout for new suggestions. He tweets at @love_lonewolf