The meaning of the underlined part
The meaning of the underlined part
The passage below is from The Library: A Fragile History by Andrew Pettegree.
Among the titles condemned were ‘sensational and mystery books or sentimental romances’. If western librarians would not necessarily have demurred, they would not have condemned them for the reason that ‘such works were full of bourgeois ideals, snobbery and the cult of lazy good-for-nothings’. Communist societies were nothing if not thorough. In 1948, an association of satirists vowed to eschew any sign of ‘bourgeois discontent’. Instead, they promised to offer satire ridiculing ‘manifestations of the capitalist mentality and surviving traces of aristocratic behaviour’.
After ‘demurred’ can I put ‘at sensational and mystery books or sentimental romances’ to complete the sentence? (Am I right? If not, then what do you suggest?)
Does ‘they’ refer to ‘librarians of communist societies’? (Am I right?)
Does ‘them’ refer to ‘librarians of communist societies’? (Am I right?)
Thanks in advance.
Top answer
Stenka25 After ‘demurred’ can I put ‘at sensational and mystery books or sentimental romances’ to complete the sentence? (Am I right? ) You almost got it.
- Stenka25 After ‘demurred’ can I put ‘at sensational and mystery books or sentimental romances’ to complete the sentence?
- (Am I right?
- ) You almost got it.
- The librarians would not perhaps have objected to the communists' choice of such books for condemnation.
- The writer is being coy.
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Stenka25After ‘demurred’ can I put ‘at sensational and mystery books or sentimental romances’ to complete the sentence? (Am I right? If not, then what do you suggest?)
You almost got it. The librarians would not perhaps have objected to the communists' choice of such books for condemnation. The writer is being coy. He means that the librarians may well have
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