Question

how does the author’s decision to end the passage with the following quotation contribute to the passage’s overall meaning? \two and two there floated into my inmost soul, endless processions of the whale, and, mid most of them all, one grand hooded phantom, like a snow hill in the air.\ (paragraph 7) a. it shows that the narrator trusts the fates to protect his voyage. b. it suggests that the whale is a product of the narrator’s imagination. c. it shows how the narrator’s commitment to his goal will lead to success. d. it develops a sense of foreboding around the narrator’s pursuit of the whale.

Explanation:

• Option A: The quotation doesn't mention "Fates" or protection of the voyage, so A is incorrect.
• Option B: The description of the whale as a "grand hooded phantom" doesn't imply it's imaginary; it's more about the mood, so B is wrong.
• Option C: The quotation has a foreboding tone, not a tone of guaranteed success from commitment, so C is incorrect.
• Option D: The phrase "grand hooded phantom" and the imagery of endless whale processions create a sense of foreboding (a feeling that something bad will happen) about the narrator's pursuit of the whale. This matches the tone and purpose of the quotation's placement.

Answer:

D. It develops a sense of foreboding around the narrator’s pursuit of the whale.