concealing a secret doubt

[Mike Hussey]

Peter and Smiley talking about Karla:

Peter: He went back to die rather than giving in.
Smiley: Yes, and that's how I know he can be beaten. Because he's a fanatic. And the fanatic is always concealing a secret doubt.

What does "concealing a secret doubt" mean?
Source: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011 film based on John le Carré's 1974 novel).

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Have you looked up the words? What doesn't make sense?

 

[Mike Hussey]

Have you looked up the words? What doesn't make sense?

It means that even though a fanatic seems to be very... well, fanatical, they really act that way only because they have a doubt about themselves or something deep inside?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

It means that even though a fanatic seems to be very... well, fanatical, they really act that way only because they have a doubt about themselves or something deep inside?

Exactly! You nailed it. Well done. (And well put.)

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is a tough book to tackle. Most native Engish speakers wouldn't try it. Carry on!

 

[GoesStation]

Exactly! You nailed it. Well done. (And well put.)

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is a tough book to tackle. Most native Engish speakers wouldn't try it. Carry on!

I haven't read Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (note that the book's title is not punctuated), but I did read Le Carré's earlier novel, The Spy Who Came In from the Cold, while camping in Europe at the age of eleven. I remember being puzzled at times, but the novel held my interest. Is the language in the later work that much more challenging?

 

[Rover_KE]

Mike, as with your Sense and Sensibility threads, your source here should be

'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' (2011 film based on John le Carré's 1974 novel).

I'll change it for you this time.

 

[Mike Hussey]

'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' (2011 film based on John le Carré's 1974 novel).

Can I ask why? 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy 2011 is same as 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' (2011 film based on John le Carré's 1974 novel).

 

[emsr2d2]

'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy 2011 is same as 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' (2011 film based on John le Carré's 1974 novel).

No, it's not the same. Your version doesn't state that you're referring to a film. Your version doesn't give the name of the author of the original book or the year of the original book. In the case of the Sense and Sensibility threads, the difference between saying something is a 1995 film and making it clear that it's an 1811 novel is huge.

 

[Mike Hussey]

No, it's not the same. Your version doesn't state that you're referring to a film. Your version doesn't give the name of the author of the original book or the year of the original book. In the case of the Sense and Sensibility threads, the difference between saying something is a 1995 film and making it clear that it's an 1811 novel is huge.

If the movie based on original screenplay, then how to quote my source?

 

[emsr2d2]

If the movie is based on an original screenplay, then how [STRIKE]to[/STRIKE] should/can I quote my source?

If the movie is original, written as a film/screenplay, just say "Title + year + "film"".