Question

Select the correct answer.

Why do authors use red herrings?

A.
to represent the views of an opponent in a falsely negative way
B.
to distract readers from a weak argument by turning them away from the original topic
C.
to present readers with only two choices for handling a situation
D.
to support a broad conclusion based on a small amount of information

Answer 1

The correct answer is A.

Step-by-step explanation:

The red herring in a story can take the form of characters that the reader suspect, but who turn out be innocent when the real murderer is identified. It aims at keeping the readers guessing at the possibilities until the end, and therefore keeps them interested in the story.

Answer 2

B. to distract readers from a weak argument by turning them away from the original topic.

Step-by-step explanation:

Red herring is a component that appears in a context to mislead or distract the concentration of the audiences. The authors use this component to create a distraction about the main idea in thrillers or mysterious fictional stories.

A red herring allows the author to create a different character which has less significance. This character helps in distracting the audience from the main plot, thereby creating an interesting twist and fantastic climax to the story.