In the cold night, Damon and his father walked silently down the empty city street. The hypnotizing clump, clump, clump, clump of their four shoes echoing off the pavement was the only sound they made. Damon tilted his head at a slight angle to look at his father without getting caught staring. As they passed the dim streetlights, shadows on his father’s face shifted and rolled but always shaded his eyes and his mouth.
“So, when do you think you’ll be coming to see me again?” Damon asked, trying not to sound like a little kid.
His father did not respond right away. Damon felt a catch in his throat, but in the dark, he was able to hide it well.
“Well, I know you are busy, and so am I,” his father said. “Maybe I can see you again in May when you graduate. That is, if I can get the time off work, and if I feel well, and if I can afford the ticket at the time.”
Damon nodded. When he imagined his graduation day, he imagined his mother and father together, with him in the middle of their bright, smiling faces. However, Damon knew what his graduation photo would probably look like. His dad would not be in it. His dad always promised to show up, but he usually broke his word. Damon turned to look his father in the eye, but he only saw a heavy shadow where a face should be.
7
The empty street is a symbol of what in the passage?
A.
the lack of a strong relationship between father and son
B.
the stress of getting ready for Damon's graduation
C.
the excitement of embarking on a new adventure
D.
the end of one path in life and the beginning of another
1 answer
A. the lack of a strong relationship between father and son
The empty street symbolizes the emotional distance and isolation between Damon and his father. Their silent walk and the father's reluctance to make firm plans to see Damon indicate a weak relationship that is marked by missed connections and unfulfilled promises.
