Answer:
To create a feeling of suspense.
Explanation:
The novel "Heart of A Samurai" by Margi Preus is a real life historical accounts of a Japanese man named Manjiro. He along with four others went fishing never to return home in many years. It deals with the themes of friendship, endurance and family ties.
In the story, the use of the word "strange" allows the reader to have a feeling of suspense, hanging in between, waiting for the scenes to unfold. It creates a suspenseful tone to the scene, for it shows Manjuro saw a 'strange' thing in the water. No one knows what it was and the author also did not specify what it was. It gives a feeling of curiosity on the readers, keeping us hanging.