Question

What is the connotative meaning of this line from Kurt Vonnegut's "Report on the Barnhouse Effect"?

General Barker bustled about the house like a woman preparing Thanksgiving dinner for twenty.

1)General Barker was under the impression that the activity would be a waste of time.

2)General Barker was afraid the professor might use his powers against his country.

3)General Barker was worried about the speaker's presence in the room.

4)General Barker was in a hurry to get everything ready for the experiment.

5)General Barker was having doubts about the professor's abilities.

Answer 1

When you think about Thanksgiving cooking, typically you think of a rush to get everything done and to put all of the food onto the table so that everyone can eat. There is a tone of rushing and impatience being conveyed. Therefore, I would say that 4 is the most suitable answer. General Barker is clearly in a hurry and is under some stress. I hope this helps.

Answer 2

4)General Barker was in a hurry to get everything ready for the experiment.

The connotative meaning the secondary meaning of a sentence or word. In the original sentence, General Barker is not actually making Thanksgiving dinner for twenty people. However, he is undertaking a task just as difficult. Traditionally a Thanksgiving dinner has many dishes and requires a lot of time, preparation, and elements. This comparison is meant to show how General Barker's experiment has a lot of different elements and things that need to be ready at precisely the right time, so he is hurrying about to make sure everything is ready.