Read the passage from Chapter 1, Part 2, of Little Women.
Amy followed, but she poked her hands out stiffly before her, and jerked herself along as if she went by machinery, and her “Ow!” was more suggestive of pins being run into her than of fear and anguish. Jo gave a despairing groan, and Meg laughed outright, while Beth let her bread burn as she watched the fun with interest. “It’s no use! Do the best you can when the time comes, and if the audience laughs, don’t blame me. Come on, Meg.”
Then things went smoothly, for Don Pedro defied the world in a speech of two pages without a single break. Hagar, the witch, chanted an awful incantation over her kettleful of simmering toads, with weird effect. Roderigo rent his chains asunder manfully, and Hugo died in agonies of remorse and arsenic, with a wild, “Ha! Ha!”
“It’s the best we’ve had yet,” said Meg, as the dead villain sat up and rubbed his elbows.
How do phrases such as “as if she went by machinery,” “agonies of remorse and arsenic,” and “dead villain sat up” contribute to the author’s voice?
Little Women, Chapter 1, Part 2
1.The diction and syntax are exaggerated, moving the action to gently make fun of the characters.
2. The diction and syntax are ridiculous for a domestic scene, characterizing the girls as childish.
3. The diction and syntax are extremely precise, giving the narrator the key role of observer.
4.The diction and syntax are intensified, putting readers directly in the girls’ minds.
could someone help i feel like its number 4
It's 1
The correct answer is 1. The diction and syntax are exaggerated, moving the action to gently make fun of the characters. Phrases such as "as if she went by machinery," "agonies of remorse and arsenic," and "dead villain sat up" use exaggerated language to create a humorous tone and make fun of the characters and their actions. This contributes to the author's voice by adding a sense of light-heartedness and playfulness to the narrative.
I can understand why you might think option 4 is the correct answer. However, in this case, the phrases such as "as if she went by machinery," "agonies of remorse and arsenic," and "dead villain sat up" actually contribute to option 1 - "The diction and syntax are exaggerated, moving the action to gently make fun of the characters."
In this passage, Louisa May Alcott, the author of "Little Women," uses exaggerated language and descriptions to add humor and create a satirical tone. The phrase "as if she went by machinery" is a humorous and exaggerated way of describing Amy's awkward and stiff movements. Similarly, "agonies of remorse and arsenic" is an exaggerated and almost comical way of describing how Hugo dies. And the phrase "dead villain sat up" is a humorous twist that is unexpected and adds to the overall light-hearted tone of the passage.
By using these exaggerated phrases, the author's voice is characterized by a satirical and gently mocking tone, which is option 1 - "The diction and syntax are exaggerated, moving the action to gently make fun of the characters."