Part I: Chapter 10 Summary

Thompson's plan to leave Las Vegas is thwarted by the arrival of a telegram from his attorney instructing him to remain in Vegas to cover the National Conference of District Attorneys, a four-day seminar on illegal narcotics. A white Cadillac convertible, dubbed The White Whale, is waiting for him at the Hotel Flamingo. In spite of his better judgment, with the aim of pushing his gonzo journalism to the absolute limit, Thompson decides to go along with his attorney's plan and cover the story.

Part I: Chapter 10 Analysis

Thompson, though he feels increasingly vulnerable to arrest, agrees to cover the narcotics seminar purely because of the situation's twisted humor. Interestingly, in order to accomplish this new goal, he must change cars from the Red Shark to a white Cadillac convertible he calls the White Whale. Both cars are equally...