Question

Read the excerpt from Part 4 of The Odyssey.

we saw the funnel of the maelstrom, heard
the rock bellowing all around, and dark
sand raged on the bottom far below.
My men all blanched against the gloom, our eyes
were fixed upon that yawning mouth in fear
of being devoured.

Which statement best explains the metaphor in this excerpt?

The whirlpool is compared to a mouth, showing its decreasing strength
.
The whirlpool is compared to a mouth, showing its menacing threat.

The whirlpool is compared to a sandy beach, showing its proximity.

The whirlpool is compared to a sandy beach, showing its familiarity.

Answer 1

B

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

The correct answer is the second option: The whirlpool is compared to a mouth, showing its menacing threat.

In this excerpt, the narrator is describing his disastrous and terrifying experience of witnessing a whirlpool with some other "men". To describe their fear of being pulled down into the sea by a whirlpool, the whirlpool is described as having a "yawning mouth", ready to "devour" (swallow up) the narrator and the men with him.