42 pages 1 hour read

Paul Lynch

Prophet Song

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023

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Chapters 3-4Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 3 Summary

It has been 14 weeks since Larry’s incarceration.

Eilish’s oldest son Mark is given notice that after his 17th birthday in a month, he will be conscripted into obligatory military service. This comes as a shock and means he will move out of his house and end his education early.

Eilish’s boss is replaced by a man named Paul Felsner, who is aligned with the NAP, the political party that supports the Emergency Powers Act.

At a high school, four boys are arrested for graffiti that criticizes the new state of affairs. A mass protest forms to advocate for their release. The protestors wear white. When Molly tries to leave the house wearing a white scarf, she and Eilish argue. Molly is frustrated by the dynamic she has with Eilish and says, “How do I know what you’re talking about, what anybody is talking about or even thinking of for that matter if nobody says anything, if nothing is ever said in this house” (75). Eilish tries to explain to Molly that given the dangers of the situation, sometimes doing nothing is the right choice.

Eilish attends her cousin Saoirse’s wedding. The groom is pro-NAP. He sings the national anthem at the reception.