Question

Read the excerpt from chapter 7 of Obasan by Joy Kogawa.


She stared out the open window as she talked about one man at the conference who quite openly applauded the wholesale imprisonment of Canadian and American Japanese.


"He knows the war was just an excuse for the racism that was already there. We were rioted against back in 1907, for heaven’s sakes! We’ve always faced prejudice. He knows we were no military threat. So what is he saying? That the innocent should be made to suffer for the guilty?” She was almost sputtering. "That’s scapegoatism. As long as we have politicians and leaders and media people who feast on people’s fears, we’ll continue making scapegoats.”

How does the phrase "almost sputtering” contribute to the mood of the excerpt?

It creates an energetic mood, as it emphasizes Aunt Emily’s feelings about injustices in past and present events.
It creates a mood of panic, as it stresses how the man was attempting to convince others to agree with his opinions.
It creates a mood of doubt, as it distorts Aunt Emily’s claims about the success of the conference.
It creates a mood of discomfort, as it suggests that history is going to keep repeating itself.

Answer 1

Answer: It creates an energetic, agitated mood (choice 1).

Explanation: “Almost sputtering” shows Aunt Emily is so angry and worked up that her words nearly break into interruptions—an urgent, emotional response to injustice. It conveys agitation and strong feeling rather than panic, doubt, or the idea that history will repeat.