Question

as soon as the sun was up the guards came to lead the young prisoners to the labyrinth. they did not see the sword which theseus had under his cloak, nor the tiny ball of silk which he held in his closed hand. they led the youths and maidens a long way into the labyrinth, turning here and there, back and forth, a thousand different times, until it seemed certain that they could never find their way out again. then the guards, by a secret passage which they alone knew, went out and left them, as they had left many others before, to wander about until they should be found by the terrible minotaur.

-- \the great thief,\ james baldwin

how does the author create suspense in the passage? check all that apply.

• by placing characters in a labyrinth
• by describing the labyrinth
• by revealing theseus’s concealed sword
• by waiting until sunrise
• by leaving the characters all alone

Explanation:

1. Placing characters in a labyrinth creates suspense because the labyrinth is a dangerous, confusing space with no clear escape.
2. Teasing the characters alone leaves them vulnerable to the Minotaur, raising tension about their fate.
3. Revealing Theseus's concealed sword hints at a possible escape, creating uncertainty about whether it will work and when it will be used, building suspense.

Answer:

• by placing characters in a labyrinth
• by revealing Theseus's concealed sword
• by leaving the characters all alone