In the excerpt from Flesh & Blood So Cheap, read how author Albert Marrin describes Chief Croker (lines 261–265).

Next morning, March 26, Chief Croker returned for

another look. The only creatures he found alive were some

half-drowned mice. He picked one up, stroked it gently, and

put it in his pocket. The chief would take it home, he said.

“It’s alive. At least it’s alive.”



Next, read the description of Croker by author Zachary Kent in lines 1–7 from The Story of the Triangle Factory Fire.

In the days following the fire, city officials sifted through

the charred rubble at the Asch Building and tried to fix

the fault for the tragedy. Fire Chief Croker angrily stated,

“There wasn’t a fire escape anywhere fronting on the street

by which these unfortunate girls could escape.” Doors that

opened inward instead of outward, overcrowding in work

areas, and blocked exits also were to blame.



Compare these two passages. Explain how Chief Croker is portrayed differently in the excerpts. (Think about what both authors want to show the reader about Chief Croker.)

Answer:

Albert Martin included that anecdote to show that even an experienced fire chief was disturbed and affected about what he saw even though he was used to see fires. He took the mouse because it was the only survivor. He was happy that at least something got to survive. This anecdote about fire chief Crocker bringing home a mouse from the remains of the fire serves to remind the reader that even someone like Fire Chief Crocker who was incredibly experienced in fires and had seen many tragedies in his time was very disturbed and bothered by the Triangle Fire.

Explanation:

I did this before.