How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Paragraph)
Quote #4
Nick stood up. He had never had a towel in his mouth before. (145)
In his essay on The Killers, author Robert Penn Warren talks specifically about this line as evidence of Nick’s innocence. He points out that the word "towel" is used instead of "gag," making the experience more real and jarring – it may be something out of a movie, but it’s really happening to poor Nick.
Quote #5
"I was up at Henry’s," Nick said, "and two fellows came in and tied up me and the cook, and they said they were going to kill you."
It sounded silly when he said it. (175-6)
For Nick, there is still an element of absurdity to all this. Because of his innocence, he finds this sort of encounter with evil a bit fantastical.