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Read the passage and then answer the question after.

excerpt from Big Red
I got a phone call the other day from the lawyer. Big Red was waiting for me. It was time.
My father loved that car. A 1969 Chevy Camaro. One of a kind—Big Red, he called it. It was strong, powerful—he spent every moment he could working on it. I couldn’t imagine him without Big Red. I remember him picking me up from school, the engine growling, the smell of smoke and diesel. In a world of quaint minivans and practical sedans, it was a dragon, red wings blazing as it tore down the highway and off into the unknown. I was a bit embarrassed then. Why couldn’t he just be like the other dads, button-down shirts and office jobs included? But he couldn’t be tamed, and neither could his car—together, they were a modern version of Alexander the Great and Bucephalus, out to conquer the world. He had a lead foot, and, in the midst of a quiet suburban cul-de-sac, he pressed down on the accelerator and let it roar. A proud man, a proud car.


For a good part of my childhood, I resented that big, bold hunk of metal that just didn’t fit in. But, it was impossible to resist the pull of Big Red. And, when I sat in the driver’s seat and turned the ignition, I found a piece of myself, just as my dad had, hidden under the hood. My father’s legacy, my legacy, out on the open road.

Which statement most effectively explains the effect of the allusion to Alexander the Great and his legendary horse?

A. It elaborates on the idea that the car represented his father’s longing for a life traveling the world.
B. It emphasizes how the father and his car were deeply bonded and a force to be reckoned with.
C. It expands on the idea that the father used his car to establish his superiority in the neighborhood.
D. It explains how powerless the narrator felt because the car was his father’s main focus .,

1 Answer

4 votes

Answer: B

Step-by-step explanation:

The most effective statement that explains the effect of the allusion to Alexander the Great and his legendary horse is B. It emphasizes how the father and his car were deeply bonded and a force to be reckoned with.

In the passage, the narrator describes the father's car, Big Red, as a powerful and unique vehicle that the father loved dearly. The comparison to Alexander the Great and his horse Bucephalus further highlights the strong bond between the father and his car. Just as Alexander and Bucephalus were a formidable pair, conquering the world together, the father and Big Red were a force to be reckoned with.

The allusion to Alexander the Great also suggests that the father saw his car as a symbol of power and superiority. It was not just a means of transportation, but a representation of his identity and ambition. By referencing Alexander the Great, the passage conveys the idea that the father used his car to establish his dominance and make a statement within his suburban neighborhood.

Overall, the allusion to Alexander the Great and his legendary horse emphasizes the deep bond between the father and his car, as well as the father's desire to stand out and assert his superiority. It adds depth to the narrative and helps the reader understand the significance of Big Red in the father's life.

User Anshul Mishra
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