How we cite our quotes: (paragraph)
Quote #1
For years the hospitable Blackwell's had been his winter quarters. Just as his more fortunate fellow New Yorkers had bought their tickets to Palm Beach and the Riviera each winter, so Soapy had made his humble arrangements for his annual hegira to the Island. (4)
As you know by now, the island Soapy is talking about is the penitentiary on Blackwell's Island. A "hegira" is journey one takes to get away from someone or someone threatening. The threat to Soapy and other New Yorkers is the cold of winter. For Soapy, being outside in the winter is way worse than jail. The whole story operates on this kind of ironic contrast challenging our ideas of what freedom is.
Quote #2
With the young woman playing the clinging ivy to his oak Soapy walked past the policeman overcome with gloom. He seemed doomed to liberty. (25)
Doesn't the phrase "doomed to liberty" sum up this theme so accurately? It also shows us how isolated Soapy is. He managed to get a date. Sure, he doesn't have much to offer her, but she is a real person and he could talk to her. Maybe they could figure something out. But Soapy just sees her as another obstacle to what he thinks he wants—to be unfree.
Quote #3
He muttered against the men who wear helmets and carry clubs. Because he wanted to fall into their clutches, they seemed to regard him as a king who could do no wrong. (38)
We can see here that although Soapy is a free man in technical terms, he feels like he's in jail, like he's trying to get out of a really bad place. At this moment, Soapy feels like he always gets just the opposite of what he wishes for. Even though the lines are comical, they are starting to betray the sense of real desperation Soapy is starting to feel.
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.