Select the correct answer.
Why does the speaker in this excerpt from Langston Hughes's "I, Too" wish to eat at the table?
Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.
A.
The speaker hopes to sit at the table and interact with those he serves from the kitchen.
B.
The speaker resents being sent to the kitchen and wants an equal seat at the table with other people.
C.
The speaker hopes to rise above those now at the table and force them to eat in the kitchen later.
D.
The speaker is uncomfortable while eating alone in the small kitchen.
E.
The speaker is proud to be in the kitchen because he is serving the guests at the table.
B. The speaker resents being sent to the kitchen and wants an equal seat at the table with other people.
B. The speaker resents being sent to the kitchen and wants an equal seat at the table with other people.
The correct answer is B. The speaker in Langston Hughes's "I, Too" wishes to eat at the table because he resents being sent to the kitchen and wants an equal seat at the table with other people.
To arrive at this answer, we need to analyze the given excerpt. The speaker expresses their determination to be at the table "when company comes" and asserts that nobody will tell them to eat in the kitchen. This indicates the speaker's desire to be treated equally and not be segregated to the kitchen. The mention of the kitchen suggests a segregation based on racial or societal discrimination. Hence, the speaker's wish to eat at the table implies their aspiration for equal treatment and recognition of their worth.
By understanding the context and analyzing the given lines, we can infer the speaker's intention and choose the correct answer, which is B.