Question

select the correct answer. which of the following best summarizes \my mother\? a. zitkála-šá with her slip of brown buckskin and soft moccasins is as free as the wind and as spirited as a bounding deer. in contrast, her mother is unhappy that the paleface has stolen their land and driven them away. moreover, her mother is distressed about the loss of family members. b. zitkála-šá accompanies her mother to fetch water from the river. on the return trip, zitkála-šá’s mother sorrowfully relays how the paleface stole their land and drove them away. as a result of the brutal journey, members of zitkála-šá’s family died. her mother tells her that she must be wary of the paleface. c. seven-year-old zitkála-šá and her mother go to a river to fetch water. zitkála-šá runs ahead, laughing with glee. she is free and spirited. after they fetch the water, though, zitkála-šá’s mother becomes sad as she explains to zitkála-šá that the paleface is not a real man, but a sickly sham. d. zitkála-šá’s mother decides to teach her about her family’s trouble at the hands of paleface. her mother shares this history to help her become brave, but cautious when dealing with the paleface. she tells zitkála-šá that the paleface can take things away from her.

Explanation:

The correct option fully covers the key elements of "My Mother": the young Zitkála-Šá's free, spirited state during a water-fetching trip, her mother's sadness as she explains that the paleface is not a real man but a sickly sham, which aligns with the core narrative of the text. Option A only partially touches on feelings and land loss without the key fetching water and character revelation. Option B focuses on the land loss and warning but omits the opening scene of Zitkála-Šá's freedom. Option D centers on the mother's lesson but misses the initial spirited water-fetching moment.

Answer:

C. Seven-year-old Zitkála-Šá and her mother go to a river to fetch water. Zitkála-Šá runs ahead, laughing with glee. She is free and spirited. After they fetch the water, though, Zitkála-Šá's mother becomes sad as she explains to Zitkála-Šá that the paleface is not a real man, but a sickly sham.