The detail that best helps you understand the meaning of the word "preoccupied" in the passage is the part where it states, "She seemed preoccupied with her own thoughts." This indicates that Mrs. Markham is distracted and not fully attentive to Willie, which illustrates her state of being mentally absorbed or occupied by her own concerns, contributing to her distance from him and reinforcing his feelings of loneliness.
Read the following passage from page 63:
"As they left the schoolyard, Mrs. Markham inevitably asked, "How was school?"
Willie would begin to talk, then stop. He was never sure his mother was listening. She seemed preoccupied with her own thoughts. She had been like that ever since his dad had abandoned them six months ago. No one knew where he'd gone. Willie had the feeling that his mother was lost too. It made him feel lonely."
Which detail from the passage best helps you understand the meaning of the word preoccupied as it is used in the story?
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1 answer