Use the passage to answer the question.

Both had now given up the useless struggle to free themselves from the mass of wood that held them down; Ulrich limited his endeavors to an effort to bring his one partially free am near enough to his outer coat-pocket to draw out his wine-flask.

What synonym could the writer use in place of useless to convey a tone of hopelessness?

Shameless
needless
pointless
flawless