How we cite our quotes: (paragraph)
Quote #4
And also in a moment his heart responded thrillingly to this novel mood. An instantaneous and strong impulse moved him to battle with his desperate fate. He would pull himself out of the mire; he would make a man of himself again; he would conquer the evil that had taken possession of him. (43)
Toward the end of the story we see a very different side of Soapy. As he rediscovers the part of him who loves, values, and is serious about life, the light comedy we've seen in almost every line fades out. We can also see that Soapy believes he's been imprisoned by his own choices, but also by some weakness he will need to fight against. The important thing is that Soapy's mind at least seems free now. He feels free to seek a better life and to take care of himself. As soon as his mind is free, he no longer wants to sacrifice his freedom to jail. He's found something better than jail or charity.
Quote #5
A fur importer had once offered him a place as driver. He would find him to-morrow and ask for the position. He would be somebody in the world. He would— (43)
In our day and age we hear a lot about unemployment and lack of jobs. You probably know someone who is having or has had trouble finding a job. According to a recent study, having a job is no guarantee against homelessness in the modern day—most homeless people actually work. We don't know how easy it will be for Soapy to actually get a job, or why he decided not to try to get one before. Whatever the case, this line suggests that at heart, Soapy values working and sees work as a way to get ahead in life.