Read this passage from kurt vonnegut's “report on the barnhouse effect”: at ten minutes before h-hour the general came in, shepherding the professor before him. the professor was comfortably attired in sneakers, gray flannels, a blue sweater, and a white shirt open at the neck. the two of them sat side by side on the love seat. what is the function of this description and how does it influence the development of the characters and the plot in the story?

a - the placement of the characters on the love seat and the professor’s relaxed attire represents dramatic irony and the characters’ uncertainty about future events.
b - the description of the time as “h-hour” and the general “shepherding” in the professor reveals the seriousness of the impending situation.
c - the contradiction between the general’s seriousness and the professor’s indifference show how professor barnhouse is a static character in the story.
d - the professor’s casual attire and the characters sitting on a love seat just before the critical “h-hour” creates an ironic contrast and a playful mood.

The function of the above description and its influence on the development of the characters and the plot in the story is that:

A - The placement of the characters on the love seat and the professor’s relaxed attire represents dramatic irony and the characters’ uncertainty about future events.

Kurt Vonnegut's short story "Report on the Barnhouse Effect" is an example of postmodernism as it uses irony on a serious topic.

He expresses his feelings about the war with his personal experience. His reaction to the war, bombings and the ills of scientific advancement brought distress in his life. He accepted the deaths as the result of the war in a very casual manner. Throughout the stories, he uses irony and sarcasm to bring the effects of the war in a different look. Using irony and sarcasm to describe serious topics like war and destruction is one of the characteristics of postmodern literature.

"the monkey's paw" is a rare story in that the theme is actually stated in the story. sgt. maj. morris tells the whites that the old fakir who put the spell on the paw said, "fate rules people's lives and those who interfere with fate do so to their sorrow." the message is a warning, but mr. white doesn't believe it. even though sgt. maj. morris makes it clear that he tried wishing with unfortunate results and he tries to throw the paw on the fire,   mr. white makes a wish for 200 pounds only to find that he receives the money when herbert dies in a factory accident. according to the fakir, then, because mr. white had wished for something he should not have had, his son lost his life.

the second wish that mrs. white encourages him to make is for herbert's return--one week after his death. when the strange knocking begins at the door during the windy night, mr. white panicks, believing that the previously dead but still mangled herbert could have walked home from the cemetary and is now at the door. because he fears what his wife will find if she opens the door, mr. white makes his third wish--for the noise to stop.

therefore, he uses his three wishes and to his sorrow, loses his son and disappoints his wife, who fervently believed that their son was at the door. she wanted him back, regardless of his condition.

explanation:

the answer is b, it brings the reader closer to the action.

it would've been a if the word had been determined, not conceited

hope this

-ironwolfx