English translation: outside of a possible defintion
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Explanation: In this context where the author is writing about the the main character and a strange male who has entered her life, I believe that the "outside the sway" refers to the fact that she (the character speaking) thinks that she can not define him as a boy or a man. He is outside the sway of that type of defintion or determination.
The either/or refers back to the earlier phrase:
course it did not feel to her that she'd been washing a child but then it wasn't quite a man either but then, again, this was who he was
Sway is being used to mean influence, or power, or direction, but in an ususal way. She can not decide if he is a man or a boy.
Then she went back down the hall and of course it did not feel to her that she'd been washing a child but then it wasn't quite a man either but then, again, this was who he was, outside the easy sway of either/or...
This is a man who does **not** take decisions lightly because he does not believe in simple black-and-white (i.e. the either/or binary) reasoning. If this is indeed from DeLillo's pen, this would make sense as he's often described as a postmodern novelist. But really, more context would help here.
it's a pity if the style gets in the way of communication. Sorry, I guess just don't enjoy this kind of creative writing, find it irritating. Each to his own.
that there's a problem with the writing. The sticking point may simply be that "either/or" is being used as a noun here -- perfectly natural in English but not in many grammars. It's clearly a powerful shorthand for "the realm of situations or decisions that can easily go one way or the other." "The easy sway of" is a self-assured phrase that suggests an accomplished writer (probably a songwriter).
Including your previous post, your guess is as good as mine. IMHO, rigorous editing and rewriting by the author is required to make this text onderstandable for any reader. Sorry that this remark may not help you much.
(he was) outside the sphere of any controlling influences
Explanation: Gosh, this is an interesting question...
I've never seen nor heard this particular phrasing before, but I presume it means that that this person is outside the sphere of controlling influences that could be exerted upon him to sway him in another direction.
Joyce A Thailand Local time: 02:49 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 4
Explanation: Not much context to go on, but perhaps this is about the character having an image of being able to take decisions rather than fudge things?
B D Finch France Local time: 21:49 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 4
Explanation: In this context where the author is writing about the the main character and a strange male who has entered her life, I believe that the "outside the sway" refers to the fact that she (the character speaking) thinks that she can not define him as a boy or a man. He is outside the sway of that type of defintion or determination.
The either/or refers back to the earlier phrase:
course it did not feel to her that she'd been washing a child but then it wasn't quite a man either but then, again, this was who he was
Sway is being used to mean influence, or power, or direction, but in an ususal way. She can not decide if he is a man or a boy.
Stephanie Ezrol United States Local time: 15:49 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 27
The translation workplace 
