Wanted for Murder

The "Wanted for Murder" poster of Susan Day is a central propaganda tool in Derry's abortion conflict, transforming a prominent feminist activist into a criminal figure and escalating the political violence that drives the novel's climax. First glimpsed by Ralph Roberts in the window of Secondhand Rose, Secondhand Clothes, the poster uses the visual language of a criminal wanted notice to frame Day as a murderer, directly linking her to the abortion debate and the violent actions of the anti-abortion group The Friends of Life. Its appearance marks a turning point in the public discourse, moving from political protest to personal vilification and incitement.

Design and Visual Rhetoric

The poster features two photographs of Susan Day at the top: an unsmiling full face on the left and an unsmiling profile on the right, set against a plain white background. Ralph immediately finds the style "unsettling," noting it makes her look "as if she belonged on a post office wall or in a TV docudrama." The photos are designed to mimic mug shots, stripping Day of her humanity and presenting her as a dangerous fugitive. Below the photographs, the words "WANTED FOR MURDER" are printed in large black letters, followed by the red text "STAY OUT OF OUR CITY!" The poster is paid for by the Maine LifeWatch Committee, an organization aligned with the anti-abortion movement. This design deliberately conflates legal abortion with murder, using the authority of a law enforcement poster to legitimize its accusation.

Placement and Proliferation

The poster first appears in the window of Secondhand Rose, Secondhand Clothes, a shop owned by Dan Dalton, a leader of The Friends of Life. It is placed so that it covers roughly half of an older "PAT BUCHANAN FOR PRESIDENT" placard, suggesting a strategic layering of political messages. Ralph later sees the same poster in the window of an empty storefront between the Rite Aid Pharmacy and the Day Break, Sun Down diner. Its presence in multiple locations across Derry indicates a coordinated campaign to spread its message. The poster's placement in a shop window and an empty storefront turns these commercial and vacant spaces into political billboards, saturating the town with its incendiary imagery.

Impact on the Abortion Conflict

The poster directly contributes to the escalating hostility surrounding Susan Day's planned speech in Derry. It is a physical manifestation of the anti-abortion movement's strategy to demonize their opponents. The poster's message is reinforced by the graffiti "KILL THIS CUNT" scrawled next to it, which Joe Wyzer wipes away. This graffiti reveals the violent intent the poster is designed to incite. The poster's logic is echoed by Ed Deepneau, who, during a televised interview after his arrest, refers to the "slaughter at WomanCare" and frames the abortion debate as a "holocaust." The poster thus serves as a key piece of propaganda that helps to radicalize individuals like Charlie Pickering, who later attempts to murder Ralph, believing him to be a "Centurion" and a "baby-killer." The poster transforms a political disagreement into a personal war, where the opposition is not just wrong, but criminal and deserving of violence.

Narrative Significance

For Ralph, the poster triggers a crucial memory. Seeing it, he recalls Ed Deepneau's chant from the previous summer: "Hey, hey, Susan Day, how many kids did you kill today?" This connection links the public propaganda directly to Ed's private madness and his violent assault on his wife, Helen, for signing a petition to bring Day to Derry. The poster thus becomes a symbol of how political rhetoric can fuel personal violence. It also foreshadows the ultimate threat to Day's life, as the poster's call to "STAY OUT OF OUR CITY!" is a prelude to the assassination attempt that forms the climax of the novel. The poster is not merely a piece of paper; it is a weapon in a war of perception, designed to dehumanize its target and justify the extreme actions of those who oppose her.