Elisha longs for the ghosts to speak, but they remain silent, making Elisha feel their judgment. Elisha tries to convince his father that the unfolding of history—especially the necessity of war—is God’s fault, but his father remains impassive, and his mother continues to bear the grief his actions bring. Neither figure reassures him, suggesting that it’s up to those in the present to act according to their best judgment. Again, it's unclear which boy Elisha’s mother is pitying—whether she pities Dawson for being sentenced to death, or if she pities her own son for having to become a murder or for shedding his moral compass.