plot explanation

In Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), Shelley admits to John Williamson that Moss convinced him to steal leads and sell them to Jerry Graff, and he's desperate enough not to care if he gets caught:

Shelley: Hey, put me out of my misery. It taught me something, John. What it taught me, you gotta get out there! I'm not cut out to be a thief, I'm cut out to be a salesman, and I am back, I got my balls back.

Shelley is contradicting himself by saying, 'Put me out of my misery,' which shows his desperation and desire to escape, while 'I got my balls back' suggests he's regained confidence and is ready to face challenges.

Why is Shelley contradicting himself in this scene?

Best Answer

The quote is missing context. In the original draft script it's clearer that he's imagining what would have happened if he'd been caught for his attempted thievery. It would have been traumatic, sure, but also cathartic.

LEVENE (CONT'D) Don't you understand? I turned this around. I broke the streak. I can do that, I can do anything. Last night, I'm going to tell you, yeah, yeah, I was done: Moss gets me, "do this, we'll get well... Why not. Big fuckin' deal. I'm halfway hoping to get caught. To put me out of my... [misery]

(pause)

But it taught me something. What it taught me, that you've got to get out there. Big deal. So I wasn't cut out to be a thief. I was cut out to be a salesman. And now I'm back, and I got my balls back... and, you know, John, you have the advantage on me now. Whatever it takes to make it right, we'll make it right. We're going to make it right.