MovieChat Forums > The Chamber (1996) Discussion > Ending of the book?

Ending of the book?

posted 18 years ago by pansy-fairy
8 replies | jump to latest

ENDING SPOILERS***

" In the distance, an engine started. It echoed unmuffled through the cemetery. Adam froze. Lee turned to see it. Herman was operating the backhoe, blue smoke boiling from the exhaust. His two co-workers were in the front bucket with their feet hanging out. The back-hoe lunged in low gear, then started along the drive, very slowly passed the rows of graves. It stopped and turned.

It was coming their way."

Okay, I have a few questions, was that Rollie Wedge trying to kill Adam and Lee? When it says 'His two co-workers were in the front bucket with their feet hanging out. ' Were the co-workers dead, and their bodies were just in the front bucket of the backhoe?

Or were the two workers just sitting in the front bucket getting ready to work, and they rode it over to the grave site to start digging Sam's grave.

I'm really confused, and kind of scared. I actually thought they were going to be killed, and when it said ' it was coming their way ', that sounded kind of scary? Like someone was trying to run them over? Then I just assumed it was Rollie Wedge driving the car getting ready to kill Adam, and Lee.

[–] wildhart 18 years ago

You read too much into this and overlooked other points at the end. Look back a couple pages and you'll see that Adam is sitting by Sam and Lee's mother's grave and red flags are placed where the grave next to it will be dug. When Adam and Lee were talking in the cemetery, a dirty pickup truck drove in and stopped at the utility shed. At that point, Lee says that is Herman, who has been digging graves there for 40 years. And it goes on to say that Herman and his two co-workers were black. Lee and Adam continued to talk, and then they see Herman on the backhoe. He was coming over to dig the grave for Sam.

One thing vampire children have to learn early on is don't run with a wooden stake

[–] pansy-fairy 18 years ago

Thanks, that helped me out a lot. I remember when I first read the book, after what had happened in the ending I was kind of distraught. I had been suspicious of Rollie Wedge the entire time, especially with the warnings that he would come after Adam and Lee next. The ending kind of scared me a little. Now that I know what really happened I can feel a little bit of resolve. Thanks once again <3.

[–] wildhart 18 years ago

No problem. I just happened to be reading the book, and the film was on over the weekend, so I looked on here. I must admit, the book didn't resolve the Rollie Wedge character at all, which is frustrating. The last word on Wedge was that he slipped past the governor while he was speaking and vanished. The film resolved his character much better. I love this book and I loved the film!!!

One thing vampire children have to learn early on is don't run with a wooden stake

[–] jgain 18 years ago

Well, after I read the book again, I came to the conclusion that Wedge was satisfied that Sam Cayhall never mentioned his name so he was content with letting Adam and Lee live their lives in peace. I think Sam knew that if he talked about Wedge that he would kill Adam and Lee (like he did everyone else who knew about his involvement)

Sam's silence guaranteed his death (but would the snake McAllister have helped him anyways?) but saved Adam and Lee from Wedge...

[–] NellieJen 16 years ago

I haven't read the book, saw it on the shelf though. I've just seen the movie, this must be an other wonderful book of John Grisham's. And I believe u are right. What Sam did was to save Lee's and Adam's lives. He knew finally it had to come to him (the death) and mentioning about R.W. wouldn't resolve things better, because that sick man had got their ppl. He is not a monster at all.

--------------------------------------------
Honk If U LOVE Nicole!!!

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] dobbin-4 16 years ago

I always thought it was Herman just diggind a grave but when it said "It was coming their way" I was confused. I got it the second time I read it though.

[–] PL1981 15 years ago

Glad to see I was not alone in wondering about the ending to the book. I believed it was referring to Herman and the other workers at the gravesite but the way that Grisham phrased it had me wondering whether there was something more sinister that was meant to be implied. Thank you for the responses to this question -it has eased some of the uneasiness I was feeling about the ending