Question

read the excerpt from \fern\ in cane.
from the train window i saw her as i crossed the road.
saw her on her porch, head tilted a little forward where
the nail was, eyes vaguely focused on the sunset. saw
her face flow into them, the countryside and something
that i call god, flowing into them.
which statement best describes toomer’s use of
diction in this excerpt?
○ the repetition of the phrase “saw her” suggests that
the speaker is intensely focused on fern.
○ the word “vaguely” implies that the speaker does
not have much memory of his time with fern.
○ the description of fern’s head as “tilted a little
forward” suggests that she be sleeping.
○ the use of the word “god” illustrates that the
narrator and fern are relying on religion to comfort
them.

Explanation:

• The repetition of "saw her" emphasizes the speaker's repeated, intense observation of Fern, centering her in their focus.
• "Vaguely" describes Fern's gaze, not the speaker's memory, so that option is incorrect.
• The tilted head is linked to the nail (a detail of her posture, not sleep), so that option is wrong.
• There is no text evidence that Fern relies on religion; the "God" reference is the speaker's personal reflection, making that option incorrect.

Answer:

A. The repetition of the phrase "saw her" suggests that the speaker is intensely focused on Fern.