Question

Read the excerpt from chapter 8 of Obasan by Joy Kogawa.


"Yasashi desho,” Obasan says. She has often spoken of my mother’s "yasashi kokoro,” her tender, kind, and thoughtful heart. She places the picture in my hand. "Here is the best letter. This is the best time. These are the best memories.” When would this be? I turn the photo around to see if there is any identification on the back, but there is none.

What mood does the author’s use of short sentences create?

confusion
sadness
sentimentality
urgency

Answer 1

sentimentality

The short, simple sentences and the repeated phrases ("Here is the best…") create a gentle, nostalgic, emotionally tender tone, emphasizing memory and feeling.