Question

which excerpt from black boy best illustrates the effect that society has on wrights father?
○ my mother warned me not to be fooled by my father’s friendly manner; she told me that the judge might ask me questions, and if he did i must tell him the truth.
○ back at home my mother wept again and talked complainingly about the unfairness of the judge who had accepted my father’s word.
○ finally we could no longer pay the rent for our dingy flat; the few dollars that granny had left us before she went home were gone.
○ from the white landowners above him there had not been handed to him a chance to learn the meaning of loyalty, of sentiment, of tradition.

Explanation:

This question asks for the excerpt that directly links societal forces (here, white landowners) to shaping Wright's father's traits. The correct option explicitly states that white landowners denied him the chance to develop loyalty, sentiment, and tradition, showing society's direct effect on his character. The other options focus on family interactions, financial hardship, or a judge's decision, not the societal impact on the father himself.

Answer:

From the white landowners above him there had not been handed to him a chance to learn the meaning of loyalty, of sentiment, of tradition.