MDDM Ch. 72 Dixon and the slave driver

[Terrance]

S~Z: 

 In my reading, Dixon punched and
> whipped the guy, and wanted to kill him. The restraint that is in the text
> is restraint from murder, not restraint from punching and whipping.

But your reading is not supported by the text. Right? 

Dixon is never shown punching or whipping the slave driver. 

One of the things P does very well, all good writers do, is show not
tell. 

Dixon says he wants to kill the Driver. But he doesn't. So this part of
your reading has textual support. Dixon hit the man. The text says he
hit him with his fist, not the handle of the whip. So Doug's reading
that the handle of the whip could have broken the tooth is not supported
by the text. Dixon stuck his fist in the way of the Driver's oncoming
face. He hit the driver with his fist, but P doesn't show him punching
or whipping. He tells the Driver to turn so he can whip him. Why would
the Driver turn? 
P doesn't show the driver turning or being whipped. 

Again, the narrator explains the italics as Dixon's voice breaking and
not the whip cracking on the Driver's body.