VINCENT LOPINTO: I am American. In 1910 my great-great grandfather came to America from Naples, Italy. He entered through Ellis Island. The only English he spoke was “America!” He moved into a one-room apartment on the Upper East Side, and after a few years married an Italian girl also living in America. They moved to Brooklyn, and my great-great-grandfather got a job in construction with others that had come from Naples before him. I think he was scared to death, to be perfectly honest. Back in Italy, though, he would work his whole life for nothing. America promised to be different. A country where dreams could come true.

Question

Use the following excerpt from the play I Am American to answer the question. What is the effect of this exposition in the play?

A. It gives background information about one of the characters.
B. It describes how the events of the play got more complicated.
C. It introduces a conflict that must be resolved.
D. It describes the daily life of a main character.

Answer 1

A. It gives background information about one of the characters.

The excerpt provides context about Vincent's great-great-grandfather, detailing his immigration journey, struggles, and hopes upon arriving in America, which sets the stage for understanding Vincent's own identity and experiences.