If Hensley had only admitted guilt, he could have avoided prison with a plea bargain agreement. But Hensley believed in his innocence and refused swear to something that was not true. While in prison, Hensley stumbles on a book of the Stoic philosophy of Epictetus. Epictetus gives voice to Hensley s vague intuition. One can not control the world, but can act with honesty and integrity.
Moral character is more important than material possessions or even the esteem of the other men.
Without revealing the details of the denouement, Crocker resolves his dilemma under the spiritual guidance of Hensley. What is intriguing is why Wolfe chose to articulate Hensley's values in terms of a pagan moral philosophy, where modern Christian spirituality might have served the same function. The choice perhaps says more about contemporary America, at least the literary circles of contemporary America, than rest of the book. Had Wolfe chosen to use Christian religiosity to explain Hensley's commitment to moral integrity, critics would have cringed and ridiculed as hopelessly sentimental the morality Hensley's born-again experience. Instead, Wolfe makes his point despite the filter of modern reviewers.