The Walls of Jericho · Chapter
XVIII explained
After Shine leaves Pat's, Jinx and Bubber's constant bickering escalates into a physical fight.
What happens
After Shine leaves Pat's, Jinx and Bubber's constant bickering escalates into a physical fight. Pat, the manager, locks them in the cellar to settle it. After a long wait, Jinx emerges staggering and collapses, followed by Bubber, who falls over him. Fearing the worst, the crowd is alarmed by Jinx's apparent death rattle, but Pat discovers they only found a bottle of whiskey in the cellar and Jinx simply has the hiccups.
Themes in this chapter
Identity and Self-Deception
The fight between Jinx and Bubber stems from their inability to handle being kidded, revealing a deeper sensitivity and self-deception about their own reactions.
Resilience and Survival
The patrons' quick shift from fear of a murder to relief and humor upon discovering the truth highlights a communal resilience in the face of potential tragedy.
Characters to notice
- Jinx Jenkins
Gets into a physical fight with Bubber, is locked in the cellar, and emerges staggering before collapsing. His apparent death rattle turns out to be hiccups from a bottle of whiskey.
- Bubber Brown
His quarrel with Jinx escalates to blows. He is locked in the cellar with Jinx and emerges dazed, falling over his prone friend.
- Henry Patmore
The manager of the pool parlor, he breaks up the fight and locks Jinx and Bubber in the cellar. He later discovers the cause of Jinx's condition is a bottle of whiskey.
Key passages
“That jigaboo ain't got a thing but the hiccups.”
That guy just has the hiccups.
Pat's blunt assessment of Jinx's condition, defusing the tension.
“Ain't nuthin' to fight about, boogy. Ain't you my boy?”
There's nothing to fight about, buddy. Aren't you my friend?
Bubber's conciliatory murmur after the fight, showing the absurdity of their quarrel.