Question

Read the excerpt from The Story of My Life by Helen Keller.

Have you ever been at sea in a dense fog, when it seemed as if a tangible white darkness shut you in, and the
great ship, tense and anxious, groped her way toward the shore with plummet and sounding-line, and you waited
with beating heart for something to happen? I was like that ship before my education began, only I was without
compass or sounding-line, and had no way of knowing how near the harbour was.
Which statement best describes the purpose of the imagery in the excerpt?
O It allows the reader to feel how lost Helen feels before she learns to communicate.
O It allows the reader to feel how excited Helen feels when her new teacher arrives.
OIt keeps the reader in suspense and eager to find out what happens to Helen.
OIt paints a picture for the reader of how dangerous it is to be lost at sea.

Answer 1

The imagery in the excerpt allows the reader to feel how lost Helen feels before she learns to communicate.

Step-by-step explanation:

The purpose of the imagery in the excerpt is to allow the reader to feel how lost Helen feels before she learns to communicate. The author uses the powerful metaphor of being at sea in a dense fog to convey the sense of being trapped and isolated, much like Helen was before her education began. The imagery helps the reader empathize with Helen's experience and understand the impact of her education.

Learn more about Imagery and its purpose in literature