Question

Read the excerpt from “The City Mouse and the Country Mouse.”

Vince: (barely gulping down the wheat) You live like ants live, eating snippets of food fit for the poor.

(Vince spits out the grain.)

Vince: (speaking arrogantly) My house is the horn of plenty. I am surrounded with every luxury, and if you come follow me, you shall have an ample share of my dainties.

How do the stage directions (the actions in parentheses) help develop Vince’s perspective?

The City Mouse and the Country Mouse

Responses

They show that Vince has a very delicate digestive system.
They show that Vince has a very delicate digestive system.

They show that Vince is not very hungry after traveling.
They show that Vince is not very hungry after traveling.

They show that Vince is a snob who refuses his friend’s food.
They show that Vince is a snob who refuses his friend’s food.

They show that Vince is very proud of what he has achieved in the city.

Answer 1

The stage directions in parentheses help develop Vince’s perspective by showing that Vince is a snob who refuses his friend’s food. His actions of barely gulping down the wheat and spitting it out, along with his arrogant speech, emphasize his disdain for the simple, humble food of the Country Mouse and highlight his attitude of superiority regarding his luxurious lifestyle.