The Whistler

Supporting the theme of corruption, intimidation is a primary strategy that the antagonists use to bully the protagonists into compliance. Vonn Dubose describes intimidation as his specialty. He makes his greatest error when he says about the BJC that “sometimes these folks understand nothing but intimidation” (361). He doesn’t recognize that the people pursuing him understand intimidation—they just don’t let it deter them. Only Dubose, born and raised in an environment of intimidation, understands nothing else.

Judge McDover, through her lawyer, uses intimidation to try to get the BJC to drop its complaint against her, threatening lawsuits against the complainant and everyone working for the BJC. Lacy acknowledges to herself that the lawyer’s threats are intimidating, but she refuses to back down.

Intimidation can be effective—even against extremely dedicated people like Lyman Gritt—when they have vulnerable family to protect. Showing both discretion and valor, Lyman, whose family has been threatened, continues to investigate under the radar, siphoning information to the BJC, which is less vulnerable than he is alone.

Even the BJC uses intimidation through the legal system to pressure suspects into turning on Dubose. For example, Clyde and Zeke are offered a choice between the death penalty or testifying against their boss.