Question
A Trip to the Theater
Donn Saylor
1For as long as he could remember, Alexander has spent Saturday afternoons with his grandmother Victoria. At seventeen years old, Alexander still looked forward to the weekly get-togethers, where he would fill Victoria in on the latest happenings in his life. Lately, much of their conversation revolved around Alexander’s desire to be an artist, a talent he had nurtured since childhood. His parents believed wholeheartedly in his artistic ability, but they much rather desired to see their son pursue a more financially secure profession. Alexander expressed his desire to go to art school while his parents pushed for more traditional higher education, such as college.
2One Friday evening, Victoria telephoned her grandson and instructed him to wear his finest attire to their next get-together. "We will be attending a play," she informed him. "It’s called A Raisin in the Sun."
3Alexander had never seen a play, and he hadn't the faintest idea what this entailed. He had to dress up--something he really did not appreciate--so he anxiously awaited this particular Saturday outing with his grandmother with a certain degree of trepidation.
4The following afternoon, Victoria and Alexander walked into the auditorium of the local university and took their seats for the matinee. When the lights dimmed, Alexander’s ambivalence began to dissipate as a majestic swell of music from the orchestra swept the darkened auditorium; a chill surged up his spine. After the heavy burgundy curtain was hoisted high into the rafters, a wash of amber light slowly illuminated the stage.
5As the performers took the stage, Alexander was transported. He suddenly forgot that he was sitting in the audience, a mere spectator; he actually felt more like a double agent, a spy peeking in on the personal lives of the Younger family. The experience, however, grew even more intimate; and as the Youngers loved and struggled and pondered over what to do with a life insurance check that would soon be arriving, possibly transforming their lives, Alexander felt less like a spy and more like a member of the family in the performance.
6With the drama playing out in front of him, Alexander sat transfixed. He gradually began to feel the anguish of each character as they strived to make their dreams a reality. Each character had a different idea about how the fortune should be spent; however, they all wanted to spend it to fulfill their dreams. There was an obvious collective dream: They wanted a better quality of life, but each individual had a unique way of making that dream a reality.
7Alexander began to contemplate his own situation with his family; his parents desperately wanted him to attend college and acquire a high-paying job, while he wanted to go to art school and make his living as an artist. Watching the performance, Alexander came to the realization that both he and his parents wanted the same thing: they were all seeking a better quality of life for him, but they had very different blueprints for achieving that goal. As the Youngers’s story unfolded, Alexander knew he needed to have a meaningful conversation with his parents and make his feelings--and his dreams--understood.
8When the curtain descended and the house lights came on, Alexander was immobilized. Victoria reached over and patted his hand, offering him a warm, intuitive smile.
Question
What device does the author use when he states that Alexander and his family had very different blueprints for achieving his happiness?
Responses
A metaphormetaphor
B onomatopoeiaonomatopoeia
C paradoxparadox
D personification
Donn Saylor
1For as long as he could remember, Alexander has spent Saturday afternoons with his grandmother Victoria. At seventeen years old, Alexander still looked forward to the weekly get-togethers, where he would fill Victoria in on the latest happenings in his life. Lately, much of their conversation revolved around Alexander’s desire to be an artist, a talent he had nurtured since childhood. His parents believed wholeheartedly in his artistic ability, but they much rather desired to see their son pursue a more financially secure profession. Alexander expressed his desire to go to art school while his parents pushed for more traditional higher education, such as college.
2One Friday evening, Victoria telephoned her grandson and instructed him to wear his finest attire to their next get-together. "We will be attending a play," she informed him. "It’s called A Raisin in the Sun."
3Alexander had never seen a play, and he hadn't the faintest idea what this entailed. He had to dress up--something he really did not appreciate--so he anxiously awaited this particular Saturday outing with his grandmother with a certain degree of trepidation.
4The following afternoon, Victoria and Alexander walked into the auditorium of the local university and took their seats for the matinee. When the lights dimmed, Alexander’s ambivalence began to dissipate as a majestic swell of music from the orchestra swept the darkened auditorium; a chill surged up his spine. After the heavy burgundy curtain was hoisted high into the rafters, a wash of amber light slowly illuminated the stage.
5As the performers took the stage, Alexander was transported. He suddenly forgot that he was sitting in the audience, a mere spectator; he actually felt more like a double agent, a spy peeking in on the personal lives of the Younger family. The experience, however, grew even more intimate; and as the Youngers loved and struggled and pondered over what to do with a life insurance check that would soon be arriving, possibly transforming their lives, Alexander felt less like a spy and more like a member of the family in the performance.
6With the drama playing out in front of him, Alexander sat transfixed. He gradually began to feel the anguish of each character as they strived to make their dreams a reality. Each character had a different idea about how the fortune should be spent; however, they all wanted to spend it to fulfill their dreams. There was an obvious collective dream: They wanted a better quality of life, but each individual had a unique way of making that dream a reality.
7Alexander began to contemplate his own situation with his family; his parents desperately wanted him to attend college and acquire a high-paying job, while he wanted to go to art school and make his living as an artist. Watching the performance, Alexander came to the realization that both he and his parents wanted the same thing: they were all seeking a better quality of life for him, but they had very different blueprints for achieving that goal. As the Youngers’s story unfolded, Alexander knew he needed to have a meaningful conversation with his parents and make his feelings--and his dreams--understood.
8When the curtain descended and the house lights came on, Alexander was immobilized. Victoria reached over and patted his hand, offering him a warm, intuitive smile.
Question
What device does the author use when he states that Alexander and his family had very different blueprints for achieving his happiness?
Responses
A metaphormetaphor
B onomatopoeiaonomatopoeia
C paradoxparadox
D personification
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
The author uses a metaphor when he states that Alexander and his family had very different blueprints for achieving his happiness. The term "blueprints" is a metaphor that compares their plans and aspirations for his future to architectural plans, illustrating the different visions they have for achieving a fulfilling life. Therefore, the correct response is:
A. metaphor
A. metaphor
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