Prelude to Love - Three Letters Summary and Analysis

The section consists of correspondence between Cleaver and a San Francisco attorney, Beverly Axlerod. The first letter is from Cleaver. He begins his Sept. 10, 1965, letter by saying that his meeting with Axlerod left him breathless, unable to think and with a desire to write "predictable and trite" sentences. He says that he's lost his sense of self and intimates that Axlerod has revived that. Then, abruptly, he changes the tone of his letter, admitting that he's said all those things as a sham to "sucker my fellow man in and seduce him of his trust." He says that he's vain and has considered running for president. Cleaver says he had the perfect slogan, "Put a black finger on the nuclear trigger," but says that won't work after the riots at Watts...