Question

Read the excerpt below from the short story "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" by Stephen King and answer the question that follows.

In all my years at Shawshank, there have been less than ten men whom I believed when they told me they were innocent. Andy Dufresne was one of them, although I only became convinced of his innocence over a period of years. If I had been on the jury that heard his case in Portland Superior Court over six stormy weeks in 1947-48, I would have voted to convinct, too.

Source: King, Stephen. "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption." Different Seasons. New York: Penguin Group, 1982. Google Books. Web. 16 May 2011.



How does the point of view in the excerpt affect the characterization in the text?


A. Characterization emphasizes action and dialogue through third-person point of view.
B. Characterization occurs through the point of view of an all-seeing narrator who interprets and makes judgments.
C. Characterization occurs through the potentially biased point of view of one character.
D. The excerpt is lacking any definite point of view because the narrator is not identified.

Answer 1

The first-person point of view in Stephen King's "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" leads to characterization that is influenced by the potentially biased perspective of the narrator, thereby coloring the reader's perceptions of other characters, including Andy Dufresne.

Step-by-step explanation:

The point of view in the excerpt from "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" by Stephen King affects the characterization by providing the potentially biased perspective of a character within the story. This is seen in the statement, "In all my years at Shawshank, there have been less than ten men whom I believed when they told me they were innocent." The narrator, a character in Shawshank, gives us insight into his thoughts and feelings over time about another character, Andy Dufresne. This first-person point of view can shape the reader's understanding of Andy and other characters based on the narrator's experiences and judgements. Thus, the correct answer to how the point of view affects the characterization in the text is C. Characterization occurs through the potentially biased point of view of one character.

Answer 2

try D. because as it tells no information about the person speaking first person. im amazed you got to read a Stephen king excerpt though!!