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15 votes
Read the passage.

I stared at the chaos surrounding Allen, astounded that one small child could inflict such damage in so little time: eggs were broken on
table and floor, their shells crunching underfoot as Allen tracked them back and forth, leaping about and merrily singing a tune learned at
nursery school. Just ten minutes earlier, the basket of eggs, fresh from Aunt Ella's hens, were perched innocently on the kitchen table: now
they were the equivalent of my little brother's box of crayons.
"Well," said Aunt Ella, clearing her throat as she studied the scene, "Allen appears to have artistic tendencies. Let's record his work for
posterity." And she raised her cell phone to photograph the dramatic smears of yellow, punctuated by bits of crushed shell and the small
impressions of toddler-sized shoes.
How is the phrase artistic tendencies used in the passage?
01. to emphasize the idea that Allen has a natural inclination to create chaos
O 2. to indicate Aunt Ella's mild-mannered reaction to the scene in the kitchen
3. to suggest the narrator's dismay at both the mess and Aunt Ella's reaction to it
04. to show both Allen's careful and deliberate design and his use of unique materials

2 Answers

4 votes

Final answer:

The phrase 'artistic tendencies' humorously characterizes the mess created by Allen as a form of art, reflecting Aunt Ella's mild reaction rather than dismay or a literal artistic endeavor.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the passage, the phrase artistic tendencies is used humorously by Aunt Ella to describe the messy situation caused by Allen. The eggs that were once neatly contained in a basket are now scattered across the kitchen, which Aunt Ella interprets as a form of artistic expression. Instead of showing frustration, Aunt Ella's mild-mannered reaction frames the chaos as something creative and worth capturing with a photograph.

It suggests that Allen, through his play, is displaying a raw and unintentional form of artistry, using unconventional materials such as egg yolks and shells. The phrase is not meant to be taken literally, as there are no careful and deliberate designs or unique materials typically associated with art. Instead, it is an affectionate and slightly sarcastic way of responding to the mess Allen has made.

User SMPLYJR
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4.2k points
5 votes

Answer:

it's the first option, the first paragraph emphasizes how destructive the kid is and they compare the broken mess of eggs to his crayons meaning he is most likely constantly chaotic.

User Pavel Vyazankin
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4.1k points