Question

Zeitoun went outside, the air humid and gusty. He tied the canoe to the back porch. The water was whispering through the cracks in the back fence, rising up. It was flowing into his yard at an astonishing rate. As he stood, it swallowed his ankles and crawled up his shins.

Back inside, he continued to move everything of value upward. As he did, he watched the water erase the floor and climb the walls. In another hour there was three feet of water indoors. And his house was three feet above street level.

What conclusion can readers draw about this character vs. nature conflict?
Zeitoun’s strength allows him to save all of his possessions.
As a result of the flood’s force, Zeitoun’s confidence is lost.
Despite Zeitoun’s competence, his home sustains damage.
Zeitoun’s fear of the flood forces him to abandon his efforts.

Answer 1

Despite Zeitoun’s competence, his home sustains damage. The passage shows him taking action (tying the canoe, moving valuables upward), yet the water still rises to three feet inside the house.