What's the meaning of the particle のか in this context?


I think the sentence can be understood on its own, but I'm giving some context
anyway. Editor and author talk about a character.

> Editor: 彼女は作中で優しい子だと言われています。実際そうだと思うんですけど、彼女の優しさって描くのむずかしいと思うんですよ。
>
> Author: 優しいのか無関心なのか、鈍感なのか、紙一重の所がありますよね。

I know that のか is used as a sentence ending to ask a question. But I'm not
sure if Author is using this word to ask a (rethorical) question in this
context, because it's not at the end of the sentence, but as an enumeration.
Regardless, I translated the sentence like this:

> "Is it kindness? Indifference? Thickheadedness? These things are paper-
> thin".

My translation may be wrong, that's why I'll be thankful if anyone can help
me. Also, is Author using のか to imply that the character may actually not be
kind, but rather something else?




It looks as though you have a valid understanding of the usage.

「のか」, in this context, **does not** form a "real" or "serious" question. It
is, instead, used to express the speaker's own doubt regarding how to
pinpointedly label the girl's (unique type of) kindness by enumerating three
possibilities (plain kindness, indifference and thickheadedness).

> Also, is Author using のか to imply that the character may actually not be
> kind, but rather something else?

No, IMHO, that would not be the case. The author knows that the girl is kind
at least to an extent, but s/he is saying that it is difficult to tell where
that kindness originates from -- is it pure kindness or an indifference or
thickheadedness in disguise?

