Small Great Things

by Jodi Picoult

Small Great Things: Chapter 9, Turk Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Turk looks around at his lawyer's swanky office. The lawyer, Roarke Matthews, leads him back to an even fancier office, offers condolences, and says that this will be more complicated than just getting Ruth to pay for killing Davis. He explains that the State is currently pursuing criminal charges against her, which means that if Turk files a civil suit simultaneously, Turk will look like he's just out to get money. Roarke suggests that Turk sues the hospital, which has more money to pay, and says they need to wait until the criminal suit is over to move forward.
Though Roarke Matthews doesn't show up again, from this one appearance he seems to be someone who is more interested in taking cases that will yield money than fighting personal and racial vendettas. However, he also understands that appearances matter in the legal system, and Turk will need to tread carefully so that he's taken seriously.
Active Themes
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Stepping back in time again, Turk says that he didn't believe Francis that the new wave of white supremacy would be fought on the internet. Francis, however, was powerful, and Turk was in love with Brit. He visited often, but was too afraid to make a move. One day, Brit asked him about the rumors of Turk's fighting prowess. She asked Turk to take her out with his crew, and when he refused on the grounds that she was Francis's daughter, she put her hand in the path of the ax Turk was using. He agreed to take her.
Notice that though Turk is forming a relationship with Francis and they're part of the same community, Turk still approaches Francis with caution. His inability to move freely within the group suggests that the community isn't as warm as Turk thinks it is. Because it is based on hatred of an “other,” if someone leaves the group, it’s easy to become hated themselves.
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In the present, Turk spends every night listening to Davis's ghost cry. One night, Turk gets up to drink. Francis lets himself in, throws a laptop at Turk, and tells him to get even. Turk pulls up his and Francis's website, LONEWOLF, which soon after its inception became the young and hip alternative to going to jail. It's been anonymous up to this point, but Turk decides to tell his story using his real name. He sits up all night watching the views rack up; 13,000 by dawn.
Active Themes
Belonging and Community Theme Icon
Family and Shared Humanity Theme Icon
On the night that Turk took Brit out, they had dinner with Francis first. Brit talked about hitting a black man with her car and told Francis that she and Turk were seeing a movie. In the car, Turk explained that he didn't have a crew anymore, which is how the rumors of him fighting alone started. Brit admitted that her mother, Adele, left Francis for a black man. Turk drove them to a hot dog stand popular with gay men and the two of them attacked a couple eating their hot dogs. Brit was vicious and Turk had to drag her off of her victim. They drove away to a secluded hill and had sex.
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Racism: Hate, Fear, and Grief Theme Icon
Family and Shared Humanity Theme Icon
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When Turk arrives at the courthouse for the arraignment, they find a bunch of friends from LONEWOLF there too. A black woman approaches Turk and starts to talk to him. He almost pushes her away before he recognizes her voice—she's Odette Lawton, the prosecutor, and she didn't sound black on the phone. Turk reasons that this might work to his advantage. When Ruth is called, Turk spits on her face. He knows that Ruth will see his swastika tattoo as he's led out of the room.
Active Themes
Racism: Hate, Fear, and Grief Theme Icon
The Justice System and the Politics of Speech Theme Icon
Outside, Turk notices media vans. He calls Francis and tells him to get Brit up and make her watch Channel Four. Turk puts his hat back on and approaches one of the newscasters. Though the woman isn't initially thrilled to speak to him, by the time he's done telling his story, a bunch of reporters are trying to speak to him. Odette comes out and makes a statement while Turk walks to the back of the building to watch Ruth be carted off to jail.
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After Turk's first date with Brit, he started visiting regularly. He ran LONEWOLF from the living room. The site had a number of comment boards but the most popular were the ones that gave suggestions for how individuals could stir up unrest without being violent. Francis and Turk tried a number of them, including slipping flyers about how the Holocaust was a hoax under windshield wipers in the parking lot of a Jewish community center. The newspapers went wild, but had no idea that the culprits were just two guys.
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The Justice System and the Politics of Speech Theme Icon
One night, Francis asked Turk when he was going to marry Brit. It took him a while, but Turk eventually brought her to his house to cook dinner for her. He pulled foods out of the fridge with food-related puns written on them and finally showed her "will you marry me Brit" spelled out in fruits and vegetables. He offered her a blue topaz ring, she said yes, and they had sex. After, she handed him a melon and made him promise that they cantaloupe.
Active Themes
Racism: Hate, Fear, and Grief Theme Icon
Family and Shared Humanity Theme Icon
When Turk returns from court, he finds Brit in front of the TV watching Odette speak. She smiles at Turk for the first time in weeks and tells him he's a star.
Active Themes
Racism: Hate, Fear, and Grief Theme Icon
The Justice System and the Politics of Speech Theme Icon