Question: Using the passage below from the text, how is the meaning of this passage impacted by the word choice of the author?

Question

Question: Using the passage below from the text, how is the meaning of this passage impacted by the word choice of the author?

"The undertow was like a string pulling him, and he was as useless as a wooden puppet to stop it. The impact of his stubborn refusal to listen to his sister was becoming more and more clear to him as the shoreline looked further and further away. His false confidence left him, and terror seized him."

The two phrases "useless as a wooden puppet" a "like a string pulling him" demonstrate that Gerard does not really put forth much effort to get out of the undertow.

The two phrases "useless as a wooden puppet" a "like a string pulling him" demonstrate that Gerard was not at fault to be in this situation.

The two phrases "false confidence" a "stubborn refusal" demonstrate that Gerard is in this situation due to his overconfident attitude.

The two phrases "false confidence" a "stubborn refusal" demonstrate that Gerard is overconfident due to praise from his family and friends.

Answer 1

The two phrases "useless as a wooden puppet" and "like a string pulling him" demonstrate that Gerard does not really put forth much effort to get out of the undertow. The word choice of "useless" and "puppet" paints a picture of Gerard being controlled by external forces and lacking agency in the situation, emphasizing his helplessness and lack of power in the face of the undertow. Likewise, the comparison to a string pulling him suggests that he is being passively moved by the current, rather than actively trying to fight against it. This highlights the impact of the author's word choice on conveying Gerard's sense of being overwhelmed and out of control.