The first truth about human nature is that people are inherently corrupt. This is exhibited throughout the whole book by every main character. Fitch wants his money, as do Marlee and Easter. Another way you could word this truth is, Money Talks. Both parties in the case, the defense and the plaintiff, are in it for the money.  Fitch wants to keep “the Fund”, so he stops at nothing to try and secure the verdict the tobacco companies desire so greatly. Marlee’s a little less deviant, she has a dual motive. She wants to stick it to the tobacco companies for killing her parents, and she also wants to make a killing on the stocks associated with them. Both of them are corrupted through money.

The second truth about human nature is power through the weak. Marlee seems to be taking advantage of Easter through his emotional attachment to her. He follows her everywhere, does anything she wants, all because he is in love with her. She must see this emotional attachment as a weakness, and she uses it to become powerful and wealthy, through any means necessary.  She may feel a slight attraction to him, through his intelligence and manipulative abilities, but she seems to use him for personal gain. Even their “conjugal visits” seem hurried and not passionate.

The third and last truth about human nature is, people use other people. This one ties in with the two previous ones very well. Marlee uses Easter, Fitch uses his goons, and Easter uses the jurors. All of them are using the others for personal gain, with little to no regard for the impacts on the others that it may bring about. The level of compassion is literally at none in this novel, everyone doesn’t care about the others around them, and interact with each other simply because they have to.