Question

Read the passage from “Child of the Americas."

I am a child of the Americas,
a light-skinned mestiza of the Caribbean,
a child of many diaspora, born into this continent at a crossroads.

How does the word “crossroads” help to develop the author’s tone?
It is imagery that describes the merging of different cultures.
It is imagery that describes a cultural boundary that should not be crossed.
It is an allusion to an actual boundary between continents.
It is a strong word that expresses an attitude of resentment and bitterness.

Answer 1

It is imagery that describes the merging of different cultures.

A crossroads is a place where two or more things come together. When she talks about the "continent at a crossroads", she is showing how the different cultures are coming together and merging. A crossroad is not a boundary that should be crossed. It is a place for crossings and coming together. It is not an actual boundary between continents. The crossroads is a strong word but it does not express an attitude of resentment and bitterness.