Close Focus Reading!

For my close focus reading, I want to use the following lines from "Liar" by Isaac Azimov.

    The psychologist paused in thought then looked up suddenly. "A girl visited him here at the plant half a year ago. She was pretty, I suppose -- blond and slim. And, of course, could scarcely add two and two. He spent all day puffing out his chest, trying to explain how a robot was put together." The hardness had returned, "Not that she understood! Who was she?" Herbie answered without hesitation, I know the person you are referring to. She is his first cousin, and there is no romantic interest there, I assure you."
    Susan Calvin rose to her feet with a vivacity almost girlish. "Now isn't that strange? That's exactly what I used to pretend to myself sometimes, though I never really thought so. Then it all must be true."
    She ran to Herbie and seized his cold, heavy hand in both hers. "Thank you, Herbie." Her voice was an urgent, husky whisper. "Don't tell anyone about this. Let it be our secret -- and thank you again." With that, and a convulsive squeeze of Herbie's unresponsive metal fingers, she left.
    Herbie turned slowly to his neglected novel, but there was no one to read his thoughts.

This scene in "Liar" is the scene where all of Susan Calvin's wildest hopes are confirmed: Milton Ashe loves her. Not only is she still learning about Herbie's "capabilities" but she receives just the information that will propel her into action towards the man she wants.

The opening line states her to be a psychologist, rather than just calling her Dr. Calvin, drawing attention to her occupation of studying behavior. Dr. Calvin was very involved emotionally in this scene, she paused in thought, contemplating the words she heard before this scene that grant her heart's desire. Her looking up "suddenly" puts a picture in the reader's mind of her snapping back into reality with excitement and waiting for the next answer. She notes that the girl was touring the plant half a year ago, pointing out that she kept track of the time that had passed, showing she really cares. When Calvin mentions she was pretty "I suppose" she is clearly very bitter and jealous towards this women. She points out the only flaws in the women she can compensate for, brains. Her jealousy even causes her to criticize Ashe, saying he was "puffing out his chest". Calvin once again bursts out, not at all hiding her frustration, saying "Not that she understood! Who was she?". Herbie was reluctant to solve her problems, or anyone's for that matter. He answered without hesitation, which shows just what kind of robot he was, he wanted to tell Calvin everything that would make her happy. Herbie is very specific and reassuring, he states "I assure you". Susan can no longer contain her excitement at this point in the scene and completely allows her thoughts and emotions unravel. The following lines of,
"Now isn't that strange? That's exactly what I used to pretend to myself sometimes, though I never really thought so. Then it all must be true."She ran to Herbie and seized his cold, heavy hand in both hers. "Thank you, Herbie.", really work to intensify the conflict of the story. If Calvin was not so excited and involved here, there would be no way for her to be let down and crushed so harshly in the end of the story. Next Calvin swears him to secrecy, which only she follows through with in the end of the story by destroying Herbie to keep her secrets safe. The last scene really invokes a sadness in the reader, making them feel bad for Herbie. He was no one. Especially the italics in his thoughts. It just makes the reader think "Aw Herbie needs help too!"