How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Beatrice-Joanna and Tristram also missed some exciting stereoscopic film-shots of the summary settling of the strike at the National Synthelac Works—the police, nicknamed greyboys, using truncheons and carbines, laughing the while; a splash of chromatic brains on the camera lens. (1.13.2)
In just one short day, the Pelphase shifts rapidly into the Interphase, and police regiments begin murdering British citizens in the streets. As in other scenes of messy violence, the narration here is almost cheery. What is its effect?
Quote #8
There were black vans waiting, side-doors open, lorries with tail-boards down. A sergeant yelped something. There was a jostling at one place, the vexillae advanced. The whistled shining inspector unholstered his pistol. He peeped one silver blast, and a carbine spat at the air. 'Get the sods,' called a worker in torn overalls. A tentative thrust of a phalanx of crushed men gained momentum speedily, and a greyboy went down shrieking. The whistle now pierced like toothache. Carbines opened out frankly, and shot whined like puppies from the walls. (2.6.7)
When Tristram is caught up in a street riot, he witnesses firsthand the violent struggle between citizens and the police. Why are the "greyboys" so eager to crush the striking workers?
Quote #9
At Redhill the scholar alighted and three members of the Population Police came aboard. They were young men, subalterns, well set-up, their metal ashine and their black unmaculated by hairs, scurf or food droppings. They examined the women passengers insolently, as with eyes expert at burrowing to illegal pregnancies. Beatrice-Joanna blushed, wishing the journey were over. (2.7.2)
Anthony Burgess's use of the word "as" is masterful in this passage, and it opens up a lot of room for interpretation. Are the young men of the Population Police staring "insolently" at the women on the tube-train in order to discover illegal pregnancies, or does their staring suggest something else (hatred, lust, disgust, etc.)?