Purple Cane Road Summary
James Lee Burke

Purple Cane Road Summary

Burke revisits some of his most important themes in Purple Cane Road, particularly that of the significance of close, interpersonal relationships to help combat the inherently corruptible institutions forced upon individuals by society. Thus, Robicheaux, a man who clearly believes in and values the spiritual, is deeply suspicious of institutionalized religion, even holding it in contempt. He suggests to more than one character the cleansing of the conscience that religion can sometimes offer, but considers the representatives of a Christian cable television channel "exploitative charlatans." He resents the pollution of his home state inflicted by the oil industry, but particularly the fact that neither the federal nor the state government regulates such activity adequately—or even at all—because of the importance of oil money both for political campaigns and for helping to maintain a strong economy and, thus, reelection of incumbent candidates. One such incumbent...

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