Importance of Drioli's Black Coat

Drioli’s coat represents his introversion. When Drioli is walking through the street, he wraps himself in his coat “like a hedgehog” (517). This portrays Drioli as aggressive and defensive against the public. Drilling walking through the street with this demeanor shows that he is prepared to confront anybody who approaches him. Since this scene occurs at the beginning of the story, the symbolism of the coat is an effective way for Dahl to establish the nature of Drioli’s character.