Question

In the selection from Bad Boy, why does Walter feel a connection to the children he sees on the trolley?

a. The children appear to Walter as if they, too, are trying to fit in with their friends.
b. The children are from Walter’s neighborhood and share similar struggles.
c. The children are on their way to the library, a place Walter loves.
d. The children, like Walter, are readers who are carrying books.

Answer 1

In 'Bad Boy,' Walter feels a connection with children on the trolley because they are fellow readers, sharing his love for books.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Walter Dean Myers's autobiography Bad Boy, Walter feels a connection to the children he sees on the trolley because they, like Walter, are readers who are carrying books. This shared characteristic of being readers bonds Walter to these children as he identifies with their passion for reading.

The children do not necessarily have to be from Walter's neighborhood or on their way to the library, or trying to fit in with their friends for him to feel this connection. Instead, it is their shared love of reading that forges this bond, reflecting a significant part of Walter's own identity and experiences.

Walter feels a connection to the children he sees on the trolley because they appear to him as if they, too, are trying to fit in with their friends. This is supported by the passage from Bad Boy where Walter sees other characters who reflect his own poverty and struggles. Walter's connection to the children is based on the shared experience they have of trying to belong and fit in.