Question 162·Hard·Text Structure and Purpose
The following text is from an early twentieth-century memoir. The narrator is waiting on a train platform.
I counted the lamps along the platform—eleven small suns burning their patience into the fog—and I told myself I waited only for the 6:10, nothing more. Yet each small inventory—of gloves in my pocket, of names on the departures board—seemed an audition for departure, as if by arranging these items in sequence I could persuade my legs to go. When the train pulled in and people moved with the certainty of errands, I remained where I was, cataloguing the sheen on the handrails, the note the whistle made, quieting my ledger with entries that did not add up to courage.
Which choice best describes the primary function of the narrator's listing of observations in the passage?
For questions about the function of a detail or list in a passage, first restate in your own words what the writer is actually doing (e.g., listing, describing, giving examples). Then ask: What effect does this have on my understanding of the character or situation? Look especially at surrounding sentences for clues about emotions or outcomes. Eliminate choices that focus on purposes not supported by the text (like tracking time or future use) and pick the one that best matches both the content of the detail and the character’s behavior or feelings around it.
Hints
Focus on the repeated action
Underline or note every time the narrator lists or counts something (lamps, gloves, names, details of the station). Ask yourself: what is the narrator doing instead of doing something else?
Pay attention to key figurative phrases
Look closely at phrases like "audition for departure" and "entries that did not add up to courage." What do these metaphors suggest about the narrator’s mental state?
Notice who is moving and who is not
When the train arrives, what do other people do, and what does the narrator do? How does this difference help you understand the role of the narrator’s observations?
Check for purpose beyond description
Ask: Are these details mainly about tracking time, gathering factual information for the future, or revealing something about the narrator’s struggle in the present moment?
Step-by-step Explanation
Clarify what the question is asking
The question asks for the primary function of the narrator's listing of observations. That means you are not just summarizing what is described, but explaining why the author includes these lists—what effect they have in the passage.
Identify the narrator’s repeated behavior
Look at the specific phrases that show what the narrator is doing:
- "I counted the lamps along the platform—eleven small suns…"
- "each small inventory—of gloves in my pocket, of names on the departures board—"
- "I remained where I was, cataloguing the sheen on the handrails, the note the whistle made"
All of these are examples of listing and counting details: lamps, gloves, names, sheen, sounds. Notice that this is all mental or observational activity; nothing about actually boarding the train.
Connect the lists to the narrator’s emotional state and actions
Now connect those lists to how the narrator feels and behaves:
- The narrator says the inventories "seemed an audition for departure, as if by arranging these items in sequence I could persuade my legs to go."
- When the train arrives and others move "with the certainty of errands," the narrator "remained where I was."
- The final line: "quieting my ledger with entries that did not add up to courage."
These lines show that all this counting and cataloguing is tied to a lack of courage and an inability to move. The narrator is using careful observation and mental listing instead of taking action.
Match the best explanation to the answer choices
Now compare this understanding with the options:
- B focuses on contrasting the narrator with other travelers, but the lists occur mainly inside the narrator’s own experience; the contrast with others is present, but it’s not the main purpose of the lists themselves.
- C suggests the lists mark exact time from the train’s approach to its stop, but the details are not time stamps; they’re emotional and metaphorical ("small suns," "ledger," "did not add up to courage").
- D says the narrator is documenting the station for later comparison, but nothing in the passage suggests any plan to use these observations later.
- A correctly explains that the narrator’s careful, methodical observations are being used in place of action, showing how they are lingering and postponing making a choice about leaving.
Therefore, the best answer is A) To portray the narrator's methodical observations as a way of delaying a decision.