Read this passage from kurt vonnegut's “report on the barnhouse effect”: at ten minutes before h-hour the general came in, shepherding the professor before him. the professor was comfortably attired in sneakers, gray flannels, a blue sweater, and a white shirt open at the neck. the two of them sat side by side on the love seat. what is the function of this description and how does it influence the development of the characters and the plot in the story?

The description of the time as "H-Hour" and the general "shepherding" in the professor reveals the seriousness of the impending situation.

In this passage, the general and the professor are contrasted. The way the general behaves shows the importance of the situation. He refers to the time as "H-Hour" and the author tells us that he "shepherd" the professor in. Nevertheless, the professor, while perhaps also worried about the situation, is dressed in comfortable, casual clothes. This provides a contrast to the urgency and seriousness of the general.