What is the meaning of the following sentence?












2















What is the meaning of the following sentence(Source: The Man Who Liked Dogs by Raymond Chandler)




I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk and a waiting
room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall,
at a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette.




?



Does it mean "I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk.
And I looked at a waiting room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall.
And I looked at a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette" ?



Can we remove the "at" from the sentence? (=> I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk and a waiting room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall, a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette.)










share|improve this question



























    2















    What is the meaning of the following sentence(Source: The Man Who Liked Dogs by Raymond Chandler)




    I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk and a waiting
    room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall,
    at a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette.




    ?



    Does it mean "I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk.
    And I looked at a waiting room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall.
    And I looked at a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette" ?



    Can we remove the "at" from the sentence? (=> I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk and a waiting room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall, a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette.)










    share|improve this question

























      2












      2








      2








      What is the meaning of the following sentence(Source: The Man Who Liked Dogs by Raymond Chandler)




      I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk and a waiting
      room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall,
      at a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette.




      ?



      Does it mean "I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk.
      And I looked at a waiting room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall.
      And I looked at a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette" ?



      Can we remove the "at" from the sentence? (=> I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk and a waiting room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall, a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette.)










      share|improve this question














      What is the meaning of the following sentence(Source: The Man Who Liked Dogs by Raymond Chandler)




      I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk and a waiting
      room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall,
      at a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette.




      ?



      Does it mean "I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk.
      And I looked at a waiting room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall.
      And I looked at a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette" ?



      Can we remove the "at" from the sentence? (=> I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk and a waiting room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall, a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette.)







      meaning






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      asked 2 hours ago









      user22046user22046

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          I think your understanding of the basic meaning is right. Also your intuition seems valid that this passage doesn't really need both "at"s.



          Not that I have the stature to criticize Mr. Chandler's writing, but I am a little puzzled why he put the "and" in the middle of the list of things he was looking at. It makes it little bit tricky to visualize the various furnishings in the office and/or the waiting room.



          I have a feeling the rest of the story will probably make sense without understanding this sentence perfectly though.






          share|improve this answer































            2















            Does it mean "I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk. And I looked at a waiting room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall. And I looked at a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette" ?




            Yes.



            Normally the two participial phrases would be joined by and as you've guessed. The omission is a literary device called asyndeton, which here is meant to create an atmosphere of action and realism.



            The idea is that the subject matter is harsh realities, so flowery prose would be incongruous—either cruelly indifferent or idiotically oblivious. Terse narration signals awareness and even empathy.



            You'll see the effect repeats throughout the story:




            He looked around and under me, [but he] didn't see a dog.







            share|improve this answer










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            Eric Eskildsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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              2 Answers
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              2 Answers
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              I think your understanding of the basic meaning is right. Also your intuition seems valid that this passage doesn't really need both "at"s.



              Not that I have the stature to criticize Mr. Chandler's writing, but I am a little puzzled why he put the "and" in the middle of the list of things he was looking at. It makes it little bit tricky to visualize the various furnishings in the office and/or the waiting room.



              I have a feeling the rest of the story will probably make sense without understanding this sentence perfectly though.






              share|improve this answer




























                2














                I think your understanding of the basic meaning is right. Also your intuition seems valid that this passage doesn't really need both "at"s.



                Not that I have the stature to criticize Mr. Chandler's writing, but I am a little puzzled why he put the "and" in the middle of the list of things he was looking at. It makes it little bit tricky to visualize the various furnishings in the office and/or the waiting room.



                I have a feeling the rest of the story will probably make sense without understanding this sentence perfectly though.






                share|improve this answer


























                  2












                  2








                  2







                  I think your understanding of the basic meaning is right. Also your intuition seems valid that this passage doesn't really need both "at"s.



                  Not that I have the stature to criticize Mr. Chandler's writing, but I am a little puzzled why he put the "and" in the middle of the list of things he was looking at. It makes it little bit tricky to visualize the various furnishings in the office and/or the waiting room.



                  I have a feeling the rest of the story will probably make sense without understanding this sentence perfectly though.






                  share|improve this answer













                  I think your understanding of the basic meaning is right. Also your intuition seems valid that this passage doesn't really need both "at"s.



                  Not that I have the stature to criticize Mr. Chandler's writing, but I am a little puzzled why he put the "and" in the middle of the list of things he was looking at. It makes it little bit tricky to visualize the various furnishings in the office and/or the waiting room.



                  I have a feeling the rest of the story will probably make sense without understanding this sentence perfectly though.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered 1 hour ago









                  Lorel C.Lorel C.

                  3,736149




                  3,736149

























                      2















                      Does it mean "I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk. And I looked at a waiting room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall. And I looked at a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette" ?




                      Yes.



                      Normally the two participial phrases would be joined by and as you've guessed. The omission is a literary device called asyndeton, which here is meant to create an atmosphere of action and realism.



                      The idea is that the subject matter is harsh realities, so flowery prose would be incongruous—either cruelly indifferent or idiotically oblivious. Terse narration signals awareness and even empathy.



                      You'll see the effect repeats throughout the story:




                      He looked around and under me, [but he] didn't see a dog.







                      share|improve this answer










                      New contributor




                      Eric Eskildsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                      Check out our Code of Conduct.

























                        2















                        Does it mean "I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk. And I looked at a waiting room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall. And I looked at a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette" ?




                        Yes.



                        Normally the two participial phrases would be joined by and as you've guessed. The omission is a literary device called asyndeton, which here is meant to create an atmosphere of action and realism.



                        The idea is that the subject matter is harsh realities, so flowery prose would be incongruous—either cruelly indifferent or idiotically oblivious. Terse narration signals awareness and even empathy.



                        You'll see the effect repeats throughout the story:




                        He looked around and under me, [but he] didn't see a dog.







                        share|improve this answer










                        New contributor




                        Eric Eskildsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                        Check out our Code of Conduct.























                          2












                          2








                          2








                          Does it mean "I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk. And I looked at a waiting room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall. And I looked at a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette" ?




                          Yes.



                          Normally the two participial phrases would be joined by and as you've guessed. The omission is a literary device called asyndeton, which here is meant to create an atmosphere of action and realism.



                          The idea is that the subject matter is harsh realities, so flowery prose would be incongruous—either cruelly indifferent or idiotically oblivious. Terse narration signals awareness and even empathy.



                          You'll see the effect repeats throughout the story:




                          He looked around and under me, [but he] didn't see a dog.







                          share|improve this answer










                          New contributor




                          Eric Eskildsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.











                          Does it mean "I looked at a small alcove office with a roll top desk. And I looked at a waiting room with mission leather chairs and three diplomas on the wall. And I looked at a mission table scattered with copies of the Dog Fancier's Gazette" ?




                          Yes.



                          Normally the two participial phrases would be joined by and as you've guessed. The omission is a literary device called asyndeton, which here is meant to create an atmosphere of action and realism.



                          The idea is that the subject matter is harsh realities, so flowery prose would be incongruous—either cruelly indifferent or idiotically oblivious. Terse narration signals awareness and even empathy.



                          You'll see the effect repeats throughout the story:




                          He looked around and under me, [but he] didn't see a dog.








                          share|improve this answer










                          New contributor




                          Eric Eskildsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.









                          share|improve this answer



                          share|improve this answer








                          edited 41 mins ago





















                          New contributor




                          Eric Eskildsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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                          answered 50 mins ago









                          Eric EskildsenEric Eskildsen

                          1213




                          1213




                          New contributor




                          Eric Eskildsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.





                          New contributor





                          Eric Eskildsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.






                          Eric Eskildsen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                          Check out our Code of Conduct.






























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