Question

sharp claws. but, to the lions surprise, he could make no impression on the tin, although the woodman fell over in the road and lay still. little toto, now that he had an enemy to face, ran barking toward the lion, and the great beast had opened his mouth to bite the dog, when dorothy, fearing toto would be killed, and heedless of danger, rushed forward and slapped the lion upon his nose as hard as she could, while she cried out: \dont you dare to bite toto! you ought to be ashamed of yourself, a big beast like you, to bite a poor little dog!\ \i didnt bite him,\ said the lion, as he rubbed his nose with his paw where dorothy had hit it.
o, but you tried to,\ she retorted. \you are nothing but a big coward.\ \i know it,\ said the lion, hanging his head in shame; \ive always known it.\ from frank l. baum, the wonderful wizard of oz look at the text in bold. how does this text impact the overall theme of the passage? by sharing how the lion grows stronger by facing his fears, the text shows that personal growth often involves confronting weaknesses. by describing how the lion lashes out after being embarrassed, the text demonstrates that shame can be a powerful motivator. by showing how the lion openly acknowledges his fears, the text suggests that displays of toughness can mask insecurity. by emphasizing the lions awareness of his own limitations, the text illustrates that it takes courage to understand oneself.

Explanation:

The Lion admits to being a coward when confronted by Dorothy. This shows that his tough - exterior (as a lion) masks his inner insecurities. He openly acknowledges his fears, which aligns with the idea that displays of toughness can hide insecurity.

Answer:

By showing how the Lion openly acknowledges his fears, the text suggests that displays of toughness can mask insecurity.