Question

1.1.8 quiz: analyze the grapes of wrath
question 9 of 10
read this excerpt from the grapes of wrath:
the tractors ignored hills and gulches, water courses, fences, houses.
which sentence best describes steinbeck’s diction here?
a. he uses the word \ignored\ to show that the tractors had no connection with the land.
b. he uses the words \hills and gulches\ to describe the highs and lows of the tenant experience.
c. he uses words about farming to show his reader that he knows what hes talking about.
d. he omits \and\ at the end of the sentence to show how many things were ignored.

Explanation:

The excerpt frames tractors as indifferent to the land's features and human structures. Option A directly addresses the core diction choice ("ignored") and its thematic purpose: emphasizing the tractors' lack of care or connection to the land and its established human and natural elements. The other options are incorrect: B misinterprets "hills and gulches" as a metaphor for tenant experience rather than literal land features; C is irrelevant as the words listed are not farming-specific; D is incorrect because the omission of the final "and" is not the key diction choice driving the meaning here.

Answer:

A. He uses the word "ignored" to show that the tractors had no connection with the land.