How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
We walk away from her if we can, or turn our backs and try not to notice. We each hope somebody else will do or say something to make her stop smiling and chatting to herself each time she starts (2.14).
The company does not know how to handle Martha, the typist who is slowly going crazy. They feel she would be surprised and embarrassed if she knew what she was doing—and if she knew that she was probably going mad. While everyone wishes that she would go away, nobody has the chutzpah to say anything to her—it's a classic case of the bystander effect.
Quote #2
"You must understand, Bob," he bantered (while I thought he might actually throw an arm around my shoulder. He never touches me), "that this ambition of yours to make a little speech is nothing more than a shallow, middle-class vanity. I'm as shallow as you are, and as middle class as the best of them. So I'm going to take your three minutes away from you and cover you and your department in my own speech."
You bastard, I thought. "You're the boss," I said. (2.68-69)
Slocum never quite expresses to his boss Green how badly he desires to make his speech, and Green never quite expresses his desire to crush Slocum's hopes and dreams. Both hide behind cordiality. Also notice the discrepancy between what Slocum thinks and what he actually says to Green.
Quote #3
I believe she is telling the truth, for I don't think my wife has learned how to lie to me yet. (My wife doesn't know how to flirt and doesn't know how to lie to me.) When she does have something she hopes to conceal, she remains silent about it and hopes I will not inquire. (If I ask, she will always tell me. She doesn't like to lie.) (3.79)
Slocum may lie to his wife, but he knows she will never lie to him. He also suspects that she knows a great deal more about him than she cares to disclose. Is he right? Does he actually know his wife as well as he thinks he does?