“Nulty’s shirt was frayed and his coat sleeves had been turned in at the cuffs. He looked poor enough to be honest, but he didn’t look like a man who could deal with Moose Malloy.”
Was it that he couldn’t be honest because he looked poor enough or to be honest (frankly speaking) he looked poor enough or because of his looking poor enough you could trust him to be honest or what? The author is Raymond Chandler.
2006-11-22 03:49:34 · 8 answers · asked by Alex B 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
You need to explain who Nulty was. I am guessing the fact he is poor means he wasn't corruptible.
2006-11-22 03:55:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it means that he looks honest. His poor working clothes make it appear that he puts in an honest, hard day's work. But he hasn't prospered as a result of that work. So maybe he is honest but not shrewd and wily enough to deal with the likes of someone like Moose Malloy?!?
For the record I have never read the book you are quoting from, so this is just my interpretation!
2006-11-22 11:56:33 · answer #2 · answered by Kris 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In my opinion, I think it is almost always true that honest people don't dress to impress. That is not to say that people who dress to the nines are dishonest, it's just that being overly concerned with the "outside" of oneself, often does not leave them time, or may not even feel the need, to be concerned with what is on the inside. Maybe they feel that if they do it up enough on the outside they can make up for they lack on the inside, or what they feel they lack.
Maybe what Mr. chandler is saying, is just that people who have nothing to hide, hide nothing.
You can't assume that the way one is dressed has ANYTHING to do with wealth or character but when someone feels the need to over do it,why....?????????
I know this my sound over-simplified but maybe it is a simple concept. I don't know if I am typical but I would trust a man more with frayed coat sleeves than one with million dollar cuff links...interesting question.
2006-11-22 12:03:12 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In a poor man's world, material things are not valuable--really b/c they can't be. A poor man can not weigh his worth by what he owns or he would be a nothing. That's why he would be more apt to weigh his worth by his morals and values--being honest, loyal, and true. Poor people take more pride in personal values b/c what else do they have??
2006-11-22 11:56:53 · answer #4 · answered by Cy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He looked honest, because he looked poor. He was so poor, that he had nothing to lose.
2006-11-22 11:58:17 · answer #5 · answered by missy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Authors conveys his opinion that poor persons are honest!
2006-11-22 11:57:37 · answer #6 · answered by cvrk3 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd say that you could trust Nulty because he was poor.
2006-11-22 12:59:55 · answer #7 · answered by Banana Hero [sic] 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe he figures the man has nothing Left to lose, so he'd have no reason to lie.
2006-11-22 22:41:54 · answer #8 · answered by javaluv2002 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋