Question

Twenty-four dollars a week would really have been riches to us if we hadn't had to support that jug; because of the jug we were always sailing pretty close to the wind.

What is the role of the idiom in this sentence?
A. To communicate Twain's disapproval of Swinton's fondness for whiskey
B. To show that Twain was used to living a hand-to-mouth existence
C. To explain that bad habits are creating a bad financial situation
D. To explain how the partners' fortunes were dependent on an outside force

Answer 1

The idiom 'sailing close to the wind' indicates a bad financial situation created by an implied dependency on alcohol, causing the individuals to manage their finances with very little margin for error. The correct option is C. To explain that bad habits are creating a bad financial situation

Step-by-step explanation:

The role of the idiom in the sentence 'because of the jug we were always sailing pretty close to the wind' is to explain that bad habits are creating a bad financial situation. This idiom conveys the struggle the individuals face due to the financial burden imposed by supporting 'that jug,' which likely refers to an alcohol addiction. Idioms like 'sailing close to the wind' are used metaphorically to describe a situation where there is little room for error or misfortune before disaster happens, in this case, financial ruin.