Moses unconsciously imitated his mother’s arrogant mannerisms

Evidence

The imitation went beyond enunciation of ideals. People who had classified as a manifestation of supreme and deep-rooted arrogance Bella’s refusal to be swayed by—or, in later years, even to listen at length to—the opinions of others, now began to notice this same arrogance in Robert. They noticed also that, increasingly, the rhythms of Robert’s voice echoed the sharpness of his mother’s sallies. The tall, handsome young man even adopted—consciously or unconsciously—a distinctive pose favored by the graying, bespectacled, plain little woman, an unusual tilt of the head. When a person disagreed with Bella, she had a way of leaning her head back on her neck and staring at the disagreer through the bottom of her spectacles with her eyes half closed, quizzical and skeptical. People began to notice that, while Robert Moses did not wear glasses, he was beginning to adopt, in arguments, the same tilt of the head. — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker, 159

Categorization

• CANDY: The image of the tall handsome man copying the graying little woman’s spectacles-tilt, even though he doesn’t wear glasses, is a memorable, shareable human vignette.
• XREF: connects to: The acquisition of power transformed Moses’ character into overt arrogance — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the…, 1066; Moses’ susceptibility to power’s corrupting effect was inherited from his mother — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the…, 1068; Robert Moses’ arrogance and force of will were inherited from his mother and grandmother — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the…, 160 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Robert Moses’ arrogance and force of will were inherited from his mother and grandmother #expands (0.85) — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker, 160
• The acquisition of power transformed Moses’ character into overt arrogance #qualifies (0.80) — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker, 1066
• Moses’ susceptibility to power’s corrupting effect was inherited from his mother #expands (0.80) — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker, 1068