the *entire chapter* of him making fun of Rowcliff (while he's searching the house)
I find that sequence particularly interesting--as well as awesome!--because of the bit of insight we get into Archie's use of goading as a motivational technique:
I wanted to keep an eye on them anyway, on general principles, but, besides that, I had decided to ride him. Wolfe had told me to use my judgment, and I knew that was the best way to put a bird like Rowcliff in the frame of mind we wanted him in.
Here we see him specifically making a judgement call on how to use the right kind of goading on someone else, to achieve a desired result. This is a guy who has learned how to manipulate people, not necessarily/entirely with the content of his words, but from their tone as measured against the target's temperament.
I think it's something he and Wolfe have in common, though they specialize in different targets. Archie is excellent at drawing ire, waving on the bull, to turn him in the direction he wants. Wolfe is excellent at creating an atmosphere of immovable power and something impending--whether that's "impending solution," which he often uses to defuse Cramer & Co.'s yelling, or "impending doom," with which he can actually spur people into confession or even suicide.
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Date: 2010-04-26 05:07 am (UTC)I find that sequence particularly interesting--as well as awesome!--because of the bit of insight we get into Archie's use of goading as a motivational technique:
Here we see him specifically making a judgement call on how to use the right kind of goading on someone else, to achieve a desired result. This is a guy who has learned how to manipulate people, not necessarily/entirely with the content of his words, but from their tone as measured against the target's temperament.
I think it's something he and Wolfe have in common, though they specialize in different targets. Archie is excellent at drawing ire, waving on the bull, to turn him in the direction he wants. Wolfe is excellent at creating an atmosphere of immovable power and something impending--whether that's "impending solution," which he often uses to defuse Cramer & Co.'s yelling, or "impending doom," with which he can actually spur people into confession or even suicide.