"Martin felt hungry: chops and beer in a little bar he remembered on Columbus Avenue. But not yet. For the time being he would just walk along, keeping a little out of the way of things, admiring the view. It was a warm day. He was in no hurry."
For the first time in ages, Martin takes the time to merely exist. As his own master now, he is content to allow himself some time to waste. He's rediscovering the value of contemplation, of being alone with himself, even of dreaming.
"Do you that the actor on stage is really a villain? Let me ask you something else. If he isn't a villain, then is he a liar?"
Attempting to point out the hypocrisy of judgement, Martin appeals to the ironic position of an actor portraying a villain. He is likely to be confused with the villain himself, but the actor has revealed little to none of his personal integrity. The only thing the audience can certainly know about this actor is that he is acting -- intentionally playing a role. Martin further raises the question: is he lying? If one is going to judge the actor's creative decisions, then one must also consider his decision to become an actor in the first place.
". . . And in his blood he felt a surge of restlessness, as if he were a steam train spewing fiery coal smoke into the black night sky as he roared along a trembling El track, high above the dark storefronts, the gaslit saloons, the red-lit doorways, the cheap beer dives, the dance halls, the gambling joints, the face in the doorway, the sudden cry in the night."
Martin can relate to the train winding along its route because he, too, feels compelled to act. He understands his innate capacity for progress and action. More than this he needs to continue taking action, making progress.
"There once was a man named Martin Dressler, a shopkeeper's son, who rose from modest beginnigns to a height of dreamlike good fortune."
As the opening sentence indicates, this novel is about the narrative depiction of a life. The author is intent upon demonstrating a success story, as proof of how the poor man becomes the icon. More importantly, this novel places Martin Dressler in the position of the model of the American dream, as proof that the system rewards ambition and perseverance.
