Characters
You get behind me, we all profit; you challenge me, we all go down! There was one Napoleon, one Washington, one me!
— Big Boy Caprice • Dick Tracy
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
Caprice makes everyone’s prospects depend on accepting his leadership. The threats and promises narrow the apparent choice to obedience or collective failure. Comparing himself with famous leaders then magnifies the claim, presenting his own importance as something exceptional and beyond competition.
Context reviewed