Question

hungry schoolboy: the passage begins after the narrator comes up on deck and finds the crew discussing the burial at sea of a bosunmember. read the passage, then answer the question(s). (1) the captain shrugged his shoulders. then well drop him over without any palavering, unless our decent-looking cast - away has the burial service at sea by heart. (2) by this time he had swung his body around and was facing me. (3) youre a preacher, arent you? he asked. (4) the hunters - there were six of them - to a man, turned and regarded me. i was painfully aware of my likeness to a scarecrow. a laugh went up at my appearance, - a laugh that was not lessened or softened by the dead man stretched and grinning on the deck before us. a laugh that was as rough and harsh and frank as the sea itself, that arose out of coarse feelings and blunted sensibilities. (5) ... i told larsen that, unhappy for the burial service, i was not a preacher, when he sharply demanded. (6) what do you do for a living? (7) i confess i had never had such a question asked me before, nor had i ever canvassed it. i was quite taken aback, and before i could find myself had stammered, i - i am a gentleman. (8) his lip curled in a swift sneer. (9) i have worked, i do work, i cried impetuously, as though he were my judge and i required vindication, and at the same time very much aware of my errant idiocy in discussing the subject at all. (10) for your living? (11) there was something so imperative and masterful about him that i was quite beside myself - traded, as furniss would have termed it. he is a quaking child before a stern school - master. (12) who leads you? was his next question. (13) i have an income, i answered stoutly, and could have bitten my tongue the next instant. all of which, you will pardon my observing, has nothing whatever to do with what i wish to see you about. (14) but he disregarded my protest. (15) who earned it? i thought so. your father. you stand on dead mens legs. youve never had any of your own. you couldnt walk alone between two sunrises and hustle the meat for your belly for three meals. let me see your hand. (16) his tremendous, dormant strength must have stirred, swiftly and accurately, or i must have slept a moment, for before i knew it he had stepped two paces forward, gripped my right hand in his, and held it up for inspection. i tried to withdraw it, but his fingers tightened, without visible effort, till i thought mine would be crushed. it is hard to maintain ones dignity under such circumstances. i could not squirm or struggle like a schoolboy. nor could i attack such a creature who had but to twist my arm to break it. nothing remained but to stand still and accept the indignity. - wolf larsen dropped my hand with a snort of disdain. which of the following best states the narrators internal conflict in the passage? a. he fears that he has been outsmarted and feels picked by wolf larsen. b. he dislikes wolf larsen for what he sees as a demeaning personal attack. c. he is unsure of his own strength and wonders if he can defend himself against wolf larsen. d. he is frustrated by what he perceives as his own weak response when facing wolf larsen.

Explanation:

The passage shows the narrator's internal conflict as they interact with Wolf Larsen. The narrator is intimidated and feels out - matched, which aligns with the idea of fearing they have been outsmarted. There is no clear evidence for dislike (B), uncertainty about strength (C), or frustration with a weak response (D) in the given context.

Answer:

A. He fears that he has been outsmarted and feels victimized by Wolf Larsen.