Question

Read the excerpt from "Surrendering” by Ocean Vuong.

One early-spring afternoon, when I was in fourth grade, we got an assignment in language-arts class: we had two weeks to write a poem in honor of National Poetry Month. Normally, my poor writing abilities would excuse me from such assignments, and I would instead spend the class mindlessly copying out passages from books I’d retrieved from a blue plastic bin at the back of the room. The task allowed me to camouflage myself; as long as I looked as though I were doing something smart, my shame and failure were hidden.

Which statement best describes how the author’s use of syntax contributes to the tone of this excerpt?

The author uses repetition to emphasize an event that occurred and to create a bitter tone.
The author uses longer sentence construction to slow the pace of the reader and to create a remorseful tone.
The author uses parallelism to help the reader understand a life-changing moment and to create a wretched tone.
The author uses various punctuation marks to indicate pauses and to create a passionate tone

Answer 1

The second statement. The author’s longer, flowing sentences slow the pace and create a reflective, remorseful tone (e.g., the extended clauses about camouflaging himself and hiding “shame and failure”).