A) The snake often represented the Anaconda Plan because it symbolizes the strategy of slowly constricting and suffocating the Confederacy's resources and supply lines, much like a snake constricts its prey.
B) Cutting off the Confederacy's access to the ocean was crucial for the Union because it would hinder the South's ability to receive supplies, reinforcements, and trade, effectively isolating them economically and militarily. Additionally, it would prevent the Confederacy from exporting cotton and other goods, which were vital for their economy and the war effort.