Question

from mcteague
so he... had opened his \dental parlors\ on polk street, an \accommodation street\ of small shops in the residence quarter of the town. here he had slowly collected a clientele of butcher boys, shop girls, drug clerks, and car conductors. he made but few acquaintances, polk street called him the \doctor\ and spoke of his enormous strength. for mcteague was a young giant, carrying his huge shock of blond hair six feet three inches from the ground; moving his immense limbs, heavy with ropes of muscle, slowly, ponderously. his hands were enormous, red, and covered with a fell of stiff yellow hair; they were hard as wooden mallets, strong as vises, the hands of the old - time car - boy. often he dispensed with forceps and extracted a refractory tooth with his thumb and finger. his head was square - cut, angular; the jaw salient, like that of the carnivora.
mcteagues mind was as his body, heavy, slow to act, sluggish, yet there was nothing vicious about the man. altogether he suggested the draught horse, immensely strong, stupid, docile, obedient.
when he opened his \dental parlors,\ he felt that his life was a success, that he could hope for nothing better.
(from mcteague by frank norris)
draught (draft) horse: a horse used for hauling heavy loads
what does this passage most strongly suggest about the field of dentistry in mcteagues time?

1. dentistry was a manageable livelihood.
2. dentistry required minimal care and precision.
3. dentistry was an unpopular form of employment.
4. dentistry required independence and resourcefulness.

Explanation:

The passage shows McTeague opened his dental parlor and was able to build a clientele among local workers. He felt his life was a success. This implies that dentistry was a viable way to make a living. There's no indication it required minimal care (he was strong - handed but not that it meant lack of precision), no evidence it was unpopular (he had clients), and no emphasis on independence and resourcefulness.

Answer:

1. Dentistry was a manageable livelihood.