 One day , Luke picks up a deadly rattlesnake from the grassy ditch and holds it up for Boss Godfrey to shoot with his rifle . Luke tosses the snake to the boss as a joke , before he hands him his walking cane . Dragline advises Luke to be more careful about his actions pertaining to the " man with no eyes . " A rainstorm causes everyone to prematurely end their work . Before he joins the other prisoners in the truck , Luke shouts to God , testing him . On that same evening , Luke receives a letter stating that his mother has died . 
