Question
Read the excerpt from Heart of a Samurai.
They found themselves seated on benches before a table, with their legs swinging under them.
“You see,” Goemon whispered to Manjiro, “the torture has begun.”
It wasn’t torture, exactly, but it wasn’t very comfortable, either.
“Look at your legs hanging there,” Goemon said.
“It is a strange way to sit!” Manjiro agreed.
“If you were a real samurai, you would commit seppuku now, rather than wait to be humiliated by the barbarians,” Goemon said.
“Maybe they won’t humiliate us,” Manjiro said hopefully.
At this, Goemon simply grunted.
What does the dialogue teach readers about Manjiro’s attitude toward the barbarians?
He believes they will be as cruel as expected.
He believes they may be kinder than expected.
He believes they are completely harmless.
He believes they have started torturing him.
They found themselves seated on benches before a table, with their legs swinging under them.
“You see,” Goemon whispered to Manjiro, “the torture has begun.”
It wasn’t torture, exactly, but it wasn’t very comfortable, either.
“Look at your legs hanging there,” Goemon said.
“It is a strange way to sit!” Manjiro agreed.
“If you were a real samurai, you would commit seppuku now, rather than wait to be humiliated by the barbarians,” Goemon said.
“Maybe they won’t humiliate us,” Manjiro said hopefully.
At this, Goemon simply grunted.
What does the dialogue teach readers about Manjiro’s attitude toward the barbarians?
He believes they will be as cruel as expected.
He believes they may be kinder than expected.
He believes they are completely harmless.
He believes they have started torturing him.
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
The dialogue teaches readers that Manjiro believes they may be kinder than expected. His hopeful statement about the possibility that "maybe they won’t humiliate us" contrasts with Goemon's pessimistic viewpoint, suggesting that Manjiro is open to the possibility of a more favorable outcome from their captors.