How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
[Hurstwood] seemed in a way to resent [Carrie's] kindly inquiries—so much better had fate dealt with her. (46.92)
Bitter much, Hurstwood? What gets in the way of characters's willingness to receive compassion from others?
Quote #5
[Carrie] knew that out in Chicago this very day the same factory chamber was full of poor homely-clad girls working in long lines at clattering machines; that at noon they would eat a miserable lunch in a half-hour; that Saturday they would gather, as they had when she was one of them, and accept the small pay for work a hundred times harder than she was now doing. Oh, it was so easy now! (44.91)
This looks a little like compassion at first, but we've got to wonder if Carrie is drawing on this memory just to make her victory seem all the sweeter.
Quote #6
He strolled about sizing up people, but it was long before just the right face and situation arrived. When he asked, he was refused. Shocked by this result, he took an hour to recover and then asked again. This time a nickel was given him. By the most watchful effort he did get twenty cents more, but it was painful. (45.71)
This description of Hurstwood begging for change sure does belie the notion that panhandling is easy money. It's probably safe to assume that the "right face" Hurstwood kept an eye out for was a compassionate-looking one rather than one that resembles Darth Vader's. Is it a lack of compassion or something else that stops these passersby from helping him?