How we cite our quotes: Act.Scene.Line
Quote #7
LEVENE: Leads! Leads! Williamson! […] Send me out! (2.1.492)
The robbery and the sale reinvigorate Levene, and the sad sack from Act 1 is gone. Ambition returns, and "The Machine" just wants to keep on moving forward. The truth about the robbery stops him, though.
Quote #8
LEVENE: And I want three worthwhile leads today (2.1.564-565).
This little quote links ambition back to another big theme of the play—respect. Levene wants to get out and keep selling, but he also wants the respect of being given the best leads.
Quote #9
ROMA: 'The Machine, there's a man I would work with.' (2.1.1186)
Oh, Roma—you tricky little so-and-so. On the surface, this looks like a nice moment between two guys who share a mutual respect for the business and each other. But this is just pure ambition talking, and we're about to discover what Roma's really after in just a second.