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Why do you think the author chose to begin the book by having Shawn list the good things and bad things about his life? Why is it significant that Shawn shared the good news before the bad news?

a) The author wanted to establish a positive tone before introducing conflict in the story.
b) Shawn's list serves as character development, revealing his outlook on life.
c) It highlights the contrast between Shawn's personal life and external challenges.
d) The author wanted to create suspense by first revealing the good aspects of Shawn's life.

User Fordareh
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The author begins with the good aspects of Shawn's life to provide character development and establish a positive tone. The narrative structure enhances reader engagement and underscores the contrast between Shawn's internal perspective and the external conflict.

Step-by-step explanation:

The author's choice to begin the book by having Shawn list the good things and bad things about his life serves several purposes. Firstly, listing the good things establishes a positive tone and character development, revealing Shawn's optimistic outlook on life even before the introduction of conflict. This narrative strategy not only engages readers' emotional connection to the character but also sets the stage for readers to feel the impact of the bad news more deeply. Answer option b) is significant because it shows Shawn's outlook on life through his own thoughts, feelings, and desires, providing readers a baseline for tracking his personal growth and transformation throughout the story.

By understanding how a story is divided and organized, such as the use of chapter endings, we gain insight into the plot and theme. An author might structure a story in such a way to add suspense, provide transitions, or to emphasize thematic elements. In Shawn's case, sharing the good news before the bad sets a narrative structure that can heighten the reader's engagement with the ensuing conflict and the character's journey.

Final answer:

The author begins with the good aspects of Shawn's life to provide character development and establish a positive tone. The narrative structure enhances reader engagement and underscores the contrast between Shawn's internal perspective and the external conflict.

Step-by-step explanation:

The author's choice to begin the book by having Shawn list the good things and bad things about his life serves several purposes. Firstly, listing the good things establishes a positive tone and character development, revealing Shawn's optimistic outlook on life even before the introduction of conflict. This narrative strategy not only engages readers' emotional connection to the character but also sets the stage for readers to feel the impact of the bad news more deeply. Answer option b) is significant because it shows Shawn's outlook on life through his own thoughts, feelings, and desires, providing readers a baseline for tracking his personal growth and transformation throughout the story.

By understanding how a story is divided and organized, such as the use of chapter endings, we gain insight into the plot and theme. An author might structure a story in such a way to add suspense, provide transitions, or to emphasize thematic elements. In Shawn's case, sharing the good news before the bad sets a narrative structure that can heighten the reader's engagement with the ensuing conflict and the character's journey.

User Bruce Chen
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7.8k points