What happens after the end of the novel?
Rayber was found dead by the woman at the Cherokee Lodge. He had collapsed and died when he realized Bishop was drowned and Tarwater was going on to meet his fate. He was left alone. No son, no nephew, no God, no one to care. There was no hope, just dullness...nothingness. His spirit left him.
The woman at the lodge suspected foul play. She had not trusted Tarwater from the moment she saw him, and had told him not to do the devil's work there. When they dragged the lake and found Bishop's body, after discovering Rayber's body, she knew her worst fears had come true. Tarwater had put his address down, Powderhead, Tennessee. The police found Buford in the cornfield and forced the story from him of the strangeness of Tarwater and all he had done to his great uncle and his home and land.
Back in the city Tarwater was prophesying and was easy to pick out on the street because of his strange dress and speech. There was no difficulty whatsoever in reducing his charge of double homicide to not guilty by reason of insanity. He was then locked away in the state mental institution where the attendants had to keep him away from all forms of water so he could not baptize people.
(Professor's note: Talk about realism! This brings it down to the grass roots!)
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