This particular episode in the story is one of many that adds to the ambiguity over the question of Steve’s guilt. Some people are convinced that Steve is absolutely guilty. Others are convinced that he’s completely innocent. And Steve’s mom is clearly one of them. As she gets up to leave her son after paying him an emotional visit in jail, she says, “No matter what anybody says, I know you’re innocent, and I love you very much.”

One might think that Steve would be very pleased to have such a ringing endorsement from his mother. At the very least, it might make him feel a little better about his predicament to know that, despite everything, his mother still loves him and believes in his innocence. But as Steve lies down on the cot in his cell, he’s not feeling happy at all— quite the opposite. Of course, he's upset by seeing his mom cry, but there's something deeper, more complex going on here. As Steve admits, he doesn’t share his mother’s firm belief in his innocence. While she's certain that he didn’t do anything wrong, he can't say the same thing about himself. In fact, he wonders whether he isn’t fooling himself.