Nala shook her head in disgust as she surveyed the sea of empty plastic water bottles littering the beach. Great! Someone must have been very thirsty, she thought. Why were people so thoughtless? Nala sighed as she started gathering the bottles into a pile. She counted the damage as she dropped each slap against the environment on the pile—57 bottles! As Nala turned to grab a bag out of her tote, a sneaker wave crashed onto the beach, sweeping the pile into the water. What a waste of good waste, Nola sighed in exasperation as she waded in after the wayward bottles. Here we go again, she thought. Such are the wages of other people’s sins.In 3–5 sentences, analyze how the author’s word choice contributes to Nala’s sarcastic tone.

Answer 1

The author's word choice effectively emphasizes Nala's sarcastic tone through her use of phrases like "a waste of good waste" and "the wages of other people’s sins." By labeling the plastic bottles as "slap against the environment," Nala highlights her disdain and frustration with the thoughtlessness of others in a somewhat exaggerated manner. The phrase "great! Someone must have been very thirsty" conveys a biting irony, suggesting that the sheer volume of litter is ridiculous rather than commendable. This choice of language illustrates Nala's blend of exasperation and sarcasm in confronting the environmental negligence around her.