Read the excerpt from "Clara Barton’s Childhood.”

Question

When playing with cousins, running from feisty livestock, or taking part in anything that didn’t involve conversation, Clara was a champion. But her most marked characteristic around others, then and for many years afterward, was her excessive shyness. Rather than conversing, Clara turned her attention to out-of-door matters and found more than one opportunity for daring feats.

First, with shining eyes and bated breath, she learned to cross the little winding French river on teetering logs at its most dangerous depths. When this sport grew tame, she made her way to the local sawmill where she delighted to ride the carriage which conveyed the logs to the old-fashioned up-and-down saw. The carriage moved very slowly when it was going forward and the saw was eating its laborious way through the log, but it came back with violent rapidity. Now, that little girl, who remembered nothing but fear of her earliest childhood, was happy when she flaunted her courage in the face of her natural timidity riding the sawmill carriage.

Why did the author choose to provide this fictional account of Clara Barton, who was a real person? Select four answers.

to interpret and share real events
to bring Barton to life through descriptive detail and dialogue
to make the account of Barton’s life more interesting than it actually was
to add details, such as characters’ thoughts and feelings, to the story since some of these details are not known
to engage the reader by sharing a point of view about the topic

Answer 1

The author likely chose to provide this fictional account of Clara Barton for the following reasons:

1. To interpret and share real events - The author aims to convey the essence of Clara Barton's childhood experiences, even if some elements are fictionalized.

2. To bring Barton to life through descriptive detail and dialogue - The use of descriptive detail helps create a vivid picture of Clara's character and her environment, making her more relatable and engaging to the reader.

3. To add details, such as characters’ thoughts and feelings, to the story since some of these details are not known - By imagining Clara's thoughts and feelings, the author enriches the narrative and provides insight into her personality, which may not be documented in historical records.

4. To engage the reader by sharing a point of view about the topic - The narrative approach draws readers in, making them more invested in Clara Barton's story and her development as a person.

These choices help create a captivating narrative around Clara Barton, allowing readers to connect on a personal level with her childhood experiences.