Which word in the following sentence most contributes to our understanding of the elevator's functionality?

"Maybe it was simply the dimensions of the contraption that bothered him, so small that it felt uncomfortably crowded even where there was only one other person in it."

What literary device is at work in the following sentence?

"...his eyes fixed on the numbers over the door that blinked on and off so haltingly, as if at any moment they might simply give up."

What is the best antonym for intimate in the following passage?

"He felt too close to any other rider, too intimate."

When trying to figure out who she is, the line, "Her sparse red hair was pinned back by a plastic barrette." is potentially a valuable clue about the fat lady's...

What's the BEST word to describe Martin's dad based on the following exchange?

"I'm not afraid."

"You're afraid," said his father, with total assurance. "When are you going to grow up and act like a man? Are you going to be timid all your life?"

After breaking his leg, Martin realizes, "...he was condemned to the elevator now." What does the word 'condemned' suggest about how Martin feels about having no choice but to take the elevator.

When Martin first meets the fat lady, the line in the story, "As she waddled into the elevator, Martin was sure he felt it sink under her weight." may create what kind of mood in the reader? Hint: focus on Sleator's word choice.

When riding the elevator back from the hospital with a fractured leg, Martin is hoping that his dad will see the fat lady and understand how 'peculiar' she is. With that word choice, at that moment we could fairly characterize his feelings about the fat lady as...

At the end of the story when Martin realizes his dad is getting off of the elevator without him, the words 'panicky', 'pleaded', 'hobbled' & 'unsteady' convey to us that Martin is now...