John Brooke did his duty manfully for a year, got wounded, was sent home, and not allowed to return. He received no stars or bar
s, but he deserved them, for he cheerfully risked all he had, and life and love are very precious when both are in full bloom. Perfectly resigned to his discharge, he devoted himself to getting well, preparing for business, and earning a home for Meg. With the good sense and sturdy independence that characterized him, he refused Mr. Laurence's more generous offers, and accepted the place of bookkeeper, feeling better satisfied to begin with an honestly earned salary than by running any risks with borrowed money. The reader can infer that John Brooke:
A:loved Meg
B:spent a year in the Army
C:did not have a lot of business prospects
D:had a falling out with Mr. Laurence over employment
The correct answer is C: The rich have too much time on their hands and not enough to think about. Pope tries to punctuate the ridiculousness of a society in which values have lost all proportion and the society the poem describes is one that isn't able to distinguish between what really matters and what doesn't. His intention was to cool hot tempers and to encourage people to laugh at their own absurdity.
