Question

I wanted to tell her she shouldn’t be playing Scrabble yet. Or looking in the mirror. Or turning the stereo any louder than what you needed just to hear it. It wasn’t fair to Dad, and it wasn’t fair to me.

—Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,
Jonathan Safran Foer

Which of the following are inferences made by the narrator? Check all of the boxes that apply.

His mother did not play Scrabble as well as his father.

His mother is not acting properly after the death of his father.

His mother’s actions show her lack of interest in Oskar and his feelings.

His mother should have turned up the volume on the stereo.

Answer 1

- His mother did not play Scrabble as well as his father. — No. (He complains she "shouldn't be playing Scrabble yet," not that she plays worse than Dad.)
- His mother is not acting properly after the death of his father. — Yes. (He thinks she shouldn't be doing normal activities yet.)
- His mother’s actions show her lack of interest in Oskar and his feelings. — Yes. (He says her behavior "wasn't fair to me," implying she’s disregarding his feelings.)
- His mother should have turned up the volume on the stereo. — No. (He says she shouldn’t be turning the stereo louder than needed.)