In the first sentence of the second paragraph, the author uses parentheses to set off the phrase "except lovers" primarily to

Incomplete question. But I inferred you are referring to the article "A Guide to Exiles, Expatriates, and Internal Emigrés" by Mary McCarthy. The paragraph reads;

"More than anybody (except lovers), exiles are dependent on mail. A Greek writer friend in Paris was the only person I knew to suffer real pain during the events of May, 1968, when the mail was cut off ... ".

Answer:

to show an exemption

Explanation:

This exemption could read this way;

"With the exemption of lovers, exiles are dependent on mail more than anyone". What this means is that lovers use mails far more than exiles because of their emotional connection. But when you are not lovers, then exiles do more of mailing than you do.