Chapters 44-53 Summary and Analysis

The Fulghums once lived on a long street near a dead end. Although there were signs posted, people often drove to the end of the street. Day or night, young or old, people would drive to the sign, sit and stare at it. Some tried to find a way around it. Others turned around, crushing marigolds and blackberry bushes along the way. All of them sped away as if fleeing some great evil. This was puzzling to the author, so he asked a psychiatrist friend about the strange behavior. Apparently, people think that certain things don't apply to them; that no matter what, the road will continue. But it does not.

A man was despondent because he was considered to be a failure. The man complained to a rabbi that he failed at half of what he tried to...