Little Caesar · Chapter
III explained
Rico, now in hiding under the alias Luigi De Angelo, struggles with his fall from power.
What happens
Rico, now in hiding under the alias Luigi De Angelo, struggles with his fall from power. He reflects on his mistakes, feels resentment, and finds only temporary solace in gambling. He follows the trial of Sam Vettori, who is sentenced to hang. On New Year's Eve, a confrontation with a political boss named Paul leads to Sansotta ordering Rico to leave.
Themes in this chapter
Fate and Inevitability
Rico reflects on his rise and fall, seeing the robbery of Casa Alvarado as both making and breaking him, and accepts Sam Vettori's fate as inevitable.
Masculinity and Violence
Rico's quick resort to a gun when challenged, his resentment at being seen as weak, and the confrontation with Paul underscore the link between male identity and violence.
Characters to notice
- Rico
Lying awake, filled with resentment, reflecting on his mistakes and his fall from power. He is now known as Crabby Louis.
- Sam Vettori
Sentenced to be hanged; Rico reads about his trial and reflects on his own rise and fall.
- Joe Massara
Turned State's evidence and was sentenced to life imprisonment.
- Sansotta
Runs the cabaret where Rico is hiding; he orders Rico to leave after a confrontation with a political boss.
- Scabby
Rico reflects that he should have played Scabby up, as Scabby was in a position to do him favors.
- Big Boy
Rico thinks about the Big Boy and imagines himself in the Big Boy's apartment.
Key passages
“He should have plugged Gentleman Joe; that’s all. When a guy begins to turn softie, why there ain’t no good in him.”
Rico believes he should have killed Joe Massara when he had the chance, because once a man goes soft he is worthless.
Rico's regret over not eliminating Joe Massara reflects his hardened worldview.
“It made me and it broke me.”
The Casa Alvarado robbery was the cause of both his rise and his downfall.
Rico acknowledges the dual role of the robbery in his life.
“Well, old Sam had a long whack at it; never seen the inside of a prison in his life. A guy’s luck’s bound to turn.”
Rico reflects that Sam Vettori had a long run without ever being imprisoned, but everyone's luck eventually runs out.
Rico accepts Sam's fate as a natural turn of fortune.