Toby Esterhase: Difference between revisions

Despite his odd behaviour, Esterhase proves himself to be a valuable spy and extremely competent at his job; characters often find themselves conflicted between being off-put off by his eccentricity and being glad to have him on their side.<ref>See Guillam's view in ''Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'', 178-179, and Ned's mixed feelings in ''The Secret Pilgrim'', 123, 130, 152-153.</ref> He's has also endeared himself to those around him due to his genuine affection for Smiley, even though they sometimes clash professionally, and his unwavering loyalty to England in general and the Circus in particular.<ref>See ''Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'', 322; ''Smiley's People'', 168; ''The Secret Pilgrim'', 5-6.</ref> Esterhase is particularly adept as the head of Lamplighters, the division of the Circus responsible for surveillance, wiretapping, and maintaining [[safe house]]s. Esterhase personally assembled the Lamplighters by recruiting housewives, vagabonds, and other individuals whom no one would suspect of espionage work, and honing them into an efficient, tightly-knit unit that becomes something of a surrogate family for them. He runs the Lamplighters from an office in the back of a [[laundromat]], which functions as a cover for their base of operations.