Wu Ting
How would you interpret ‘she is not like that’ here? Mrs. Brown began talking before she’d unbuttoned her coat, plainly out of sorts. She is not like that, filling up a silence with idle talk, the goings-on at Mrs. Bittle’s while we were away. Then came the report that Mr. Judd had died, on Christmas Day. How would you interpret ‘she is not like that’ in the second sentence? Does it mean she didn’t behave in her usual way? PS: Mrs. Bittle’s was a boarding house where Mrs. Brown lived. Mr. Judd had been living at Mrs. Bittle’s too. Thanks! Thanks! This excerpt is taken from The Lacuna by Kingsolver.
Apr 20, 2015 12:48 PM
Answers · 2
1
Your interpretation is correct. She doesn't ordinarily make idle chit-chat or small talk, so when she did, he knew something unusual had happened.
April 20, 2015
It mean that here behavior, as described, was quite unusual for her. It's caused by the news of the death. Here normal behavior the "way she is like" is not to be this talkative.
April 20, 2015
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!