Brushstrokes

Question

It was my first time at the marina without my aunt, and I found myself retracing our steps. We had often walked past the boats and all the way to the lighthouse, where my aunt would set up her easel on the end of the pier and begin to paint as the sun sank low in the sky. Back then, I hadn't done any painting myself, only watched the way her brush moved across the canvas, fascinated by the way she brought the scene to life. But today, I was the one carrying an easel, paints, and brushes. I angled my easel for a clear view of the lighthouse and the setting sun. The tourists were starting to leave for dinner, and the pier quieted down so much I could hear a whisper of wind over the water. I miss you too, I whispered back to it, and then I took a deep breath and brushed the first swath of paint across the canvas. I painted in silence, trying not to let myself think about how much better my aunt's work would have been. I finally stepped back to look at the finished painting. I saw something a little like what I remembered of my aunt's art, but with something different, too—a style all my own.

Select the correct answer from each drop-down menu.
The narrator says, "I found myself retracing our steps" to establish ().

This phrase helps convey that the narrator is ().

Answer 1

The narrator says, "I found myself retracing our steps" to establish **a connection to the past**.

This phrase helps convey that the narrator is **reminiscing about time spent with their aunt**.