Question

Which excerpt from The Number Devil best shows that one purpose of Robert's character is to oppose the number devil?

“You sound as though you never went to school. Or maybe you are a teacher yourself?”
"How dumb can you get!" said Robert. "A colossal waste of time if you ask me. So get going! Scram! Shoo!"
"I'm sorry," Robert said meekly, though the whole thing was getting weirder and weirder.
"It's just that all those ones give me a headache. They actually make things more complicated than they are."

Answer 1

The excerpt that best shows Robert's character opposing the number devil is when he says:

"How dumb can you get!" said Robert. "A colossal waste of time if you ask me. So get going! Scram! Shoo!"

In this moment, Robert expresses his frustration and skepticism towards the things the number devil represents, indicating that he is not easily swayed and is willing to challenge the number devil's ideas. This opposition highlights Robert's role as a character who stands against the concepts the number devil embodies.