"She was a tall, narrow woman with short hair, probably quite young still, though at the time we wouldn't have thought of her as such. She always wore a sharp grey suit, and unlike the gardeners, unlike the drivers who brought in our supplies-unlike virtually anyone else who came in from outside-she wouldn't talk to us and kept us at a distance with her chilly look."
-page 32
This quote is using the literary term of direct characterization. Ishiguro is having Kathy tell us directly what Madame, who is some sort of principal or president of the school, is like. The reader does not have to figure out what Madame is like by her words, actions, etc. because we are told directly, even though Kathy goes on to give the reader an example. Madame is brought up because Kathy was talking about the Gallery, which is a place where Madame takes all of the best pieces of artwork from the Exchange. The thing is that no one has actually seen the Gallery or knows what it's purpose is, and it is an unsaid rule that they don't bring it up around a guardian. I'm very curious to find out more regarding the Gallery and the purpose of Madame taking the students art. Kathy and her friends find out that Madame is afraid of them and does not seem to like children at all, so I seriously doubt she's keeping the art for her own viewing pleasure. I sense that Kathy and her friends are asking themselves the same questions, and want to get answers about Madame and the Gallery.
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