Final answer:
The author's purpose in 'The Breakaway' is to explore personal growth and liberation through the protagonist's decision to break away from societal expectations.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the short story 'The Breakaway', the author's purpose is to explore the theme of personal growth and liberation through the protagonist's decision to break away from societal expectations and pursue his passion for ice hockey. The narrator, a young boy named Danny, is trying to break away from the constraints of his small town and his father's disapproval. The break or escape he seeks is both physical, as he joins a hockey team in a different town, and metaphorical, as he strives to assert his independence and follow his dreams.