logo

50 pages 1 hour read

The Cold Dish

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2004

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Themes

The Pursuit of Justice

Content Warning: This section mentions sexual assault.

In examining Melissa’s rape and its aftereffects as well as Turk’s subordination, Johnson raises questions about what constitutes true justice, as well as how justice ought to be administered in a civil society.

One conception of justice, as presented in the novel, holds that it doesn’t matter how justice is achieved—legally or extrajudicially. Broadly speaking, this concept is associated with the not-too-distant past and the mythology of the American West, where individual initiative was favored and encouraged while centralized legal authority was weak or nonexistent. For example, one of the most famous figures of the American West, Wyatt Earp, was a lawman but was most famous for his “vendetta ride” to avenge the deaths of his brothers. As Walt explains to a farmer who complains that Lucian would have allowed him to shoot trespassing hunters, “We’re living in more enlightened times. […] Ain’t it grand?” (74). As Walt’s predecessor, Lucian largely embodies this free-for-all approach, as when he offers to put Turk in his place: “If I had two good legs, I’d go out and kick that little son of a bitch’s ass myself” (121). Following Lucian’s lead, Walt proceeds to physically assault Turk the next time he sees him, leaving him severely injured.

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 50 pages of this Study Guide

Plus, gain access to 8,600+ more expert-written Study Guides.

Including features:

+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools