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Sergeant Smith
Della is Henry’s girlfriend. While testifying at Henry’s trial, Della refuses to answer a question because she knows that the public prosecutor will twist her words around to make it seem like she’s making incriminating statements about Henry and the other members of the 38th Street Gang. In response to this, the judge sentences her to one year in a correctional facility for young women. When she eventually gets out, she moves in with Henry’s parents because her own parents disapprove of her relationship with Henry and kick her out. When Henry finally comes home from prison, then, he discovers that Della will be living with him and his family. What’s more, she wants to know if he still wants to marry her, since he mentioned this possibility before getting arrested. Now, though, Henry has romantic feelings for Alice, too, so he doesn’t know what to do. Nonetheless, he chooses Della, and in one of the many alternative endings (the play has multiple because the characters each narrate different versions of Henry’s future), he and Della get married and have three children.
Della Quotes in Zoot Suit
The Zoot Suit quotes below are all either spoken by Della or refer to Della. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1, Scene 11: The Conclusion of Trial
Quotes
PRESS: (Springing to the attack.) You say Henry Reyna hit the man with his fist. (Indicates HENRY standing.) Is this the Henry Reyna?
DELLA: Yes. I mean, no. He’s Henry, but he didn’t ...
PRESS: Please be seated. (HENRY sits.) Now, after Henry Reyna hit the old man with his closed fist, is that when he pulled the knife?
DELLA: The old man had the knife.
PRESS: So Henry pulled one out, too?
GEORGE: (Rises.) Your Honor, I object to counsel leading the witness.
PRESS: I am not leading the witness.
GEORGE: You are.
PRESS: I certainly am not.
GEORGE: Yes, you are.
JUDGE: I would suggest, Mr. Shearer, that you look up during the noon hour just what a leading question is?
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Della Quotes in Zoot Suit
The Zoot Suit quotes below are all either spoken by Della or refer to Della. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1, Scene 11: The Conclusion of Trial
Quotes
PRESS: (Springing to the attack.) You say Henry Reyna hit the man with his fist. (Indicates HENRY standing.) Is this the Henry Reyna?
DELLA: Yes. I mean, no. He’s Henry, but he didn’t ...
PRESS: Please be seated. (HENRY sits.) Now, after Henry Reyna hit the old man with his closed fist, is that when he pulled the knife?
DELLA: The old man had the knife.
PRESS: So Henry pulled one out, too?
GEORGE: (Rises.) Your Honor, I object to counsel leading the witness.
PRESS: I am not leading the witness.
GEORGE: You are.
PRESS: I certainly am not.
GEORGE: Yes, you are.
JUDGE: I would suggest, Mr. Shearer, that you look up during the noon hour just what a leading question is?
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
