XI: The New Boss explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Betrayal and Treason

  The Sinsings' collaboration with the Hans is portrayed as the ultimate betrayal, justifying their extermination over a mere gang feud.

• The Hero's Journey and Adaptation

  Rogers adapts his 20th-century military experience to reorganize the gang, demonstrating his growth as a leader.

• Social Reorganization and Collectivism

  The entire gang is reorganized into specialized divisions, emphasizing collective effort and functional efficiency.

• Racial and Cultural Conflict

  The deep-seated prejudice against the Hans is exploited to unite American gangs against the Sinsings, highlighting racial animosity.

Characters to notice

• Unknown

  The narrator and protagonist, who becomes the new Boss of the Wyoming Gang and orchestrates the strategic shift against the Sinsings.

• Wilma Deering

  Serves as the narrator's personal assistant in the new command structure.

• Boss Hart

  Voluntarily steps down as Boss of the Wyoming Gang and places his helmet on the narrator, endorsing his leadership.

• Ned Garlin

  Appointed as Control Boss, responsible for coordinating records and reports from all divisions.

• Bill Hearn

  Appointed as Field Boss, in charge of the main fighting units.

• The Sinsings

  Target of the narrator's secret extermination campaign due to their collaboration with the Hans.

• The Hans

  The enemy force allied with the Sinsings; the narrator plans to cross their ship lanes undetected.

• Bad Bloods

  A rival gang that the narrator feigns attacking to mask the true target, the Sinsings.

Key passages

• “I created a new office on the spot, that of 'Control Boss,' and appointed Ned Garlin to the post, turning over his former responsibility as Plants Boss to his assistant.”

  Rogers immediately establishes a new role called Control Boss and assigns Ned Garlin to it, while Garlin's old job as Plants Boss goes to his assistant.

  Shows Rogers' rapid reorganization of the gang's command structure.

• “I named Bill Hearn to the post of Field Boss, in charge of the main or undetached fighting units, and to the Resources Division, I assigned all responsibility for what few aircraft we had; and all transportation and supply problems, I assigned to 'Resources.'”

  Rogers puts Bill Hearn in charge of the primary combat forces as Field Boss, and creates a Resources Division to handle aircraft, transport, and supplies.

  Highlights the functional specialization of the new military organization.

• “But the strategic exigencies, to my mind, quite clearly demanded the instant and absolute extermination of the Sinsings.”

  Rogers believes that the immediate and complete destruction of the Sinsings is strategically necessary.

  Reveals Rogers' prioritization of the Sinsings threat over the Bad Bloods.

• “So I pledged the Council and my companions to secrecy, and allowed it to be believed that we were about to take to the air and the trees against the Bad Bloods.”

  Rogers swears the Council and his allies to secrecy and lets everyone think they are preparing to attack the Bad Bloods.

  Illustrates the deceptive strategy to surprise the Sinsings.