Question

Read this excerpt from Herman Melville's "The Lightning-Rod Man," which contains a mythological allusion.

"Mr. Jupiter Tonans, I am not accustomed to be commanded in my own house."
"Call me not by that pagan name. You are profane in this time of terror."
   
Which of these statements best conveys the meaning of the allusion?

A. Jupiter Tonans is an allusion to thunder and lightning.
B. The writer exposes the salesman as a fraud.
C. The writer reinforces the storm motif by alluding to thunder and lightning references.
D. By referring to the lighting-rod man as Mr. Jupiter Tonans, a pagan god, the narrator is calling the salesman a pagan as well.

Answer 1

Answer: D) By referring to the lighting-rod man as Mr. Jupiter Tonans, a pagan god, the narrator is calling the salesman a pagan as well.

Step-by-step explanation: allusion is a literary device that consists in making a brief reference to a person, an event (historical, political, cultural, etc), or a place. In the given excerpt from "The Lightning-Rod Man" by Herman Melville, we can see an example of an allusion to the god Jupiter Tonans, with this allusion, the narrator is calling the salesman a pagan, so the correct answer is option D.

Answer 2

The correct answer is D.