Question

He spread his arms wide against the ocean sounds: the rush of the waves, the manic giggles of the gulls, the sighing of the sea breeze against the granite. He put his back to all of Phippsburg – Lord, to the entire continent – till with a shrug he sloughed off its heavy stillness and looked for a way to climb down to the water.

–Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy,
Gary D. Schmidt

Which phrase reveals how the character feels about the ocean?



Which phrase reveals how the character feels about Phippsburg?

Answer 1

Ocean: "He spread his arms wide against the ocean sounds" (and the description "the rush of the waves, the manic giggles of the gulls, the sighing of the sea breeze") — shows he welcomes and delights in the ocean.

Phippsburg: "He put his back to all of Phippsburg — Lord, to the entire continent — till with a shrug he sloughed off its heavy stillness" — shows he feels burdened by or wants to turn away from Phippsburg (it feels heavy and still).