pulled himself clear

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentences?

The assembled men swarmed around the bin, jostling each other, grabbing handfuls of the scraps from the bin, nearly overturning it in their hungry eagerness. Collins joned them for a moment; then suddenly pulled himself clear.
No! Not this! Like a dog! Never.

pulled himself clear = freed himself from a temporary feeling of uncertainty, doubt, confusion

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

[MASM]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentences?

The assembled men swarmed around the bin, jostling each other, grabbing handfuls of the scraps from the bin, nearly overturning it in their hungry eagerness. Collins joned them for a moment; then suddenly pulled himself clear.
No! Not this! Like a dog! Never.

pulled himself clear = freed himself from a temporary feeling of uncertainty, doubt, confusion

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

I'm not a teacher, but I think it means more or less that he suddenly realises he's behaving like a dog (an animal trying to survive) and doesn't want to, so he stops.

[sarat_106]

Dear teachers,

Would you be kind enough to tell me whether I am right with my interpretation of the expression in bold in the following sentences?

The assembled men swarmed around the bin, jostling each other, grabbing handfuls of the scraps from the bin, nearly overturning it in their hungry eagerness. Collins joned them for a moment; then suddenly
his conscience pulled himself clear.
No! Not this! Like a dog! Never.

pulled himself clear = freed himself from a temporary feeling of uncertainty, doubt, confusion Ok

Thank you for your efforts.

Regards,

V.

I think, it is a feeling of his conscience.

[bertietheblue]

Re "Collins joned them for a moment; then suddenly pulled himself clear."

Simply, this means he pulled himself physically away from the jostling crowd, cf " he pulled himself clear of the hole". That's why the clause is nicely balanced (note semi-colon) with "Collins joined them ..." Having said that, in the suddenness of the action there is a suggestion of an abrupt change, that indeed his conscience is 'pulling him clear' so I'd say this is a rich use of the language.