How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Elsewhere were figures Dixon barely recognized: economists, medicals, geographers, social scientists, lawyers, engineers, mathematicians, philosophers, readers in Germanic and comparative philology, lektors, lecteurs, lectrices. He felt like going round and notifying each person individually of his preference that they should leave. (21.16)
As Jim's list of his colleagues' specialties gets longer, they all start to sound more and more similar. You can tell that he basically thinks of all these people as interchangeable, no matter how much they might think they're unique. What is he doing there?
Quote #8
"Mm, I see. It's a waste of time teaching history, is it?"
Dixon resolved not to mind what he said to this man. "No. Well taught and sensibly taught, history could do people a hell of a lot of good. But in practice it doesn't work out like that. Things get in the way. I don't quite see who's to blame for it. Bad teaching's the main thing. Not bad students, I mean." (21.24)
Finally, Jim actually says something not completely demeaning about history and the university. He can admit this to Gore-Urquhart because G-U sees him as a "fellow-sufferer" who appreciates how difficult life at the College is for Jim.
Quote #9
"You're ambitious?"
"No. I've done badly here since I got the job. This lecture might help to save me getting the sack." (21.27-28)
It's pretty funny that Gore-Urquhart asks Jim Dixon if he's ambitious, because it's unlikely that you'll ever meet a less ambitious guy. That said, Jim does care about putting food in his mouth; that seems to be the only reason he takes anything about his job at the university even half-seriously.