shootingstar
Member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2022
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- German
- Home Country
- Germany
- Current Location
- Germany
(Gloria and William talking; it's an awkward encounter)
. . . Her voice hardens to match his; her arms fold quickly across her chest. William's shocked how angry she suddenly is. 'I came to tell you two things.' Her voice is loud enough to make William worry that Mr and Mrs Finch will hear. ' First, I miss talking to you, but you clearly have your reasons for staying away. Second, Ray (William's 'friend') has asked me to go out with him.' She's glaring at him. His eyes keep dropping to the carpet but he forces them back up to her face. 'Proper, like,' she says, 'and I just wanted to see if you had anything to say about that.'
What to say? He stares at her now. What to say? They consider each other in a stony, hard silence and a coldness cascades through his insides . . . But, miraculously, his shoulders rise, as if of their own accord, in a casual shrug.
'I thought you already were. Do what you like, Gloria.'
(From A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe, Part III Family Business, scene 40)
What does "proper" and what does "like" mean in this context? If possible, I'd like to get a synonymous expression or an explanation of each of these words. I assume the word "were" in the sentence last but one is referring to "proper" and "like" as well.
. . . Her voice hardens to match his; her arms fold quickly across her chest. William's shocked how angry she suddenly is. 'I came to tell you two things.' Her voice is loud enough to make William worry that Mr and Mrs Finch will hear. ' First, I miss talking to you, but you clearly have your reasons for staying away. Second, Ray (William's 'friend') has asked me to go out with him.' She's glaring at him. His eyes keep dropping to the carpet but he forces them back up to her face. 'Proper, like,' she says, 'and I just wanted to see if you had anything to say about that.'
What to say? He stares at her now. What to say? They consider each other in a stony, hard silence and a coldness cascades through his insides . . . But, miraculously, his shoulders rise, as if of their own accord, in a casual shrug.
'I thought you already were. Do what you like, Gloria.'
(From A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe, Part III Family Business, scene 40)
What does "proper" and what does "like" mean in this context? If possible, I'd like to get a synonymous expression or an explanation of each of these words. I assume the word "were" in the sentence last but one is referring to "proper" and "like" as well.
