As we rounded a small pavilion, we nearly stepped into a pair of figures - who leapt apart. One was William de la Touche Clancey. The other was a well-made boy of perhaps sixteen, carefully got up to resemble a swell; only the red blunt hands betrayed the fact that he was a workie."So!" Clancey gave his accusing goose-like hiss.The boy looked embarrassed, as well he should. There are some things that the poor ought not to do even for money.
In the scene, the narrator and Clancey encounter two figures in a pavilion, one of whom is Clancey himself, and the other is a young boy trying to present himself as fashionable. The boy's appearance, particularly his rough hands, reveals his working-class background, contrasting sharply with his attempts to fit in with a more affluent persona. This tension captures the challenges of class representation and the pressure on the less privileged to conform to societal expectations.
Clancey's reaction to the boy is scornful, indicating a disdain for those who try to break through class boundaries, especially in a way that seems inauthentic. The narrative touches on the idea that certain behaviors or aspirations might be deemed unacceptable for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Overall, this moment emphasizes the struggles between class identities and the sometimes harsh judgments imposed by society.
