Question

1.4.2 review: modernism and language
a sedan driven by a forty - year - old woman approached. she saw the turtle and swung to the right, off the highway, the wheels screamed and a cloud of dust boiled up. two wheels lifted for a moment and then settled. the car skidded back onto the road, and went on, but more slowly. the turtle had jerked into its shell, but now it hurried on, for the highway was burning hot.
which statement provides the best analysis of the passages symbolism in the novel?
a. the car actually runs over the turtle, but its protected by its shell. once it recovers, it continues across the road quickly.
b. the sedan stands for the recklessness of farmers, who create turmoil for everyone in their path just so they can work faster.
c. the wheels “screamed,” which is a form of personification, making the sedan seem like a living creature with evil intent.
d. the turtle represents the plight of the poor, who have free will but are subject to powerful forces beyond their control.

Explanation:

In literature, symbols often carry deeper meanings. The turtle can be seen as a symbol of the vulnerable and poor who face powerful, uncontrollable forces. The car represents those powerful forces. Option A focuses only on the literal action. Option B's interpretation about farmers is not well - supported. Option C's focus on personification is not the main symbolic analysis. Option D provides a more profound symbolic analysis related to social themes often explored in literature.

Answer:

D. The turtle represents the plight of the poor, who have free will but are subject to powerful forces beyond their control.