In paragraph 87, Mr. Steward returns the button unit to the Lewis home after his phone conversation with Norma. How does this action affect the Lewises?
"The package was lying by the front door;
Norma saw it as she left the elevator. Well, of all the nerve, she thought. She glared at the carton as she unlocked the door. I just
won't take it in, she thought. She went inside and started dinner.
Later, she went into the front hall. Opening the door, she picked up the package and
carried it into the kitchen, leaving it on the table.
She sat in the living room, looking out the window. After a while, she went back into the kitchen to turn the cutlets in the broiler.
She put the package in a bottom cabinet.She'd throw it out in the morning.intrigue (in treg') v. to arouse the interest or curiosity of; fascinate eccentric (ek sen' trik) ad/. out of the ordinary,. odd
proposition (pr3p a zish' en) r}, a plan, proposal, deal, or scheme 591
"Maybe some eccentric millionaire is playing games with people," she said.don't understand you."
"What does that mean?"
"Let it go," he told her.
Norma ate in silence. Suddenly, she put
her fork down. " Suppose it's a genuine of-fer?" she said.
Arthur stared at her.
" Suppose it's a genuine offer?"
"All right, suppose it is?" He looked in-credulous. "What would you like to do? Get
the button back and push it? Murder some-one?,
Norma looked disgusted. "Murder."
"How would you define it?"
"If you don't even know the person?"
Norma said.Arthur looked astounded. "Are you saying what I think you are?"
"If it's some old Chinese peasant ten thousand miles away? Some diseased native in
the Congo?"1
"How about a baby boy in Pennsylvania?" Arthur countered. "Some beautiful little
girl on the next block?" "Now you're loading things."
"The point is, Norma," he continued,
"what's the difference whom you kill? It's still murder."
"The point is," Norma broke in,
someone you've never seen in your life and never will see, someone whose death you don't even have to know about, you still wouldn't push the button?"
Arthur stared at her, appalled. "You mean, you would?"
"Fifty thousand dollars, Arthur."
• It encourages Norma to consider using the button unit.
• It makes Arthur think about the advantages of the button unit.
• It makes Norma and Arthur suspect that Mr. Steward is a criminal.
• It encourages Norma and Arthur to think of ways to improve their life.