Question

The Custodian’s reply to Aunt Emily must have been the same to anyone else who dared to write. “Be good, my undesirable, my illegitimate children, be obedient, be servile, above all don’t send me any letters of inquiry about your homes, while I stand on guard (over your property) in the true north strong, though you are not free.”

–Obasan,
Joy Kogawa

Read the excerpt. Which statement best describes how the author’s syntax affects the mood of the excerpt?

The use of repetition shows that Aunt Emily has insulted the Custodian.
The use of parallelism shows that Aunt Emily feels the same as the Custodian.
The use of polysyndeton shows that the Custodian has a long list of people to write to.
The use of asyndeton shows that the Custodian disrespects Japanese Canadians.

Answer 1

The use of asyndeton shows that the Custodian disrespects Japanese Canadians.

Explanation: The string of short, comma-separated commands ("Be good... be obedient, be servile...") omits conjunctions, creating a terse, brusque rhythm that feels dismissive and demeaning—reinforcing the Custodian’s contempt in calling them "my undesirable, my illegitimate children."