Responses
“There they were scratching away.” (paragraph 1)
“There they were scratching away.” (paragraph 1)
“‘That way please! To that one sitting near the window!’ said the porter, indicating with the tray the furthest window.” (paragraph 3)
“‘That way please! To that one sitting near the window!’ said the porter, indicating with the tray the furthest window.” (paragraph 3)
“The silence lasted for two minutes.” (paragraph 9)
“The silence lasted for two minutes.” (paragraph 9)
“The clerk, absorbed in his own thoughts, got up and, scratching his elbow, went to a cupboard for something.” (paragraph 11)
3 answers
The quotation that supports the inference that the narrator views the government office work as tedious busywork is:
“The clerk, absorbed in his own thoughts, got up and, scratching his elbow, went to a cupboard for something.” (paragraph 11)
This suggests that the clerk is disengaged and that the work lacks engagement or purpose, aligning with the idea of it being tedious busywork.
You're right to consider that option. The phrase “There they were scratching away.” (paragraph 1) also implies a sense of tediousness and monotony associated with the government office work. The use of "scratching away" can suggest a repetitive, mindless task, supporting the inference of it being busywork.
Both quotations convey the narrator's view of the work as tedious, but the first quotation highlights the overarching sense of monotony among the workers, while the second quotation specifically illustrates a clerk's disengagement.
In summary, “There they were scratching away.” does effectively support the inference of viewing the work as tedious busywork. Thank you for pointing that out!
