Final answer:
The literary device varying syntax in the excerpt from The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck is Inversion. It emphasizes the characters' dire situation by reversing the standard word order, a common analysis point along with pronouns, voice, verb tenses, and nouns in literary studies. The correct answer is option O Inversion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The literary device that varies syntax in the highlighted excerpt from Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath is Inversion. Inversion is a literary technique where the normal order of words is reversed, often for emphasis or to maintain a particular rhythm or rhyme scheme. In the phrase 'How can we live without our lives? How will we know it's us', the structure emphasizes the desperation and absurdity of the situation the characters find themselves in. This alteration from the standard word order draws attention to the characters' plight, contributing to the overall theme of human suffering and resilience in the book.
Other literary features to examine when analyzing literature include pronouns, active vs. passive voice, verbs (tense and shifts), nouns, and overall syntax, including whether an author uses unusual word order.