Question

Once, I remember, we came upon a man-of-war anchored off the coast. There wasn't even a shed there, and she was shelling the bush. It appears the French had one of their wars going on thereabouts.... In the empty immensity of earth, sky, and water, there she was, incomprehensible, firing into a continent. Pop, would go one of the six-inch guns; a small flame would dart and vanish, a little white smoke would disappear, a tiny projectile would give a feeble screech-and nothing happened. Nothing could happen. There was a touch of insanity in the proceeding. Which idea about colonialism is most clearly expressed in this excerpt? OA. The actions of the colonists are foolish and ineffective. OB. War, which is common in the colonies, is horrible and upsetting. C. Larger weapons are necessary in order to conquer continents​

Answer 1

The idea about colonialism most clearly expressed in this excerpt is that the actions of the colonists are foolish and ineffective. The passage describes a man-of-war firing into a continent, but nothing happens as a result. The narrator describes the scene as incomprehensible, with a touch of insanity in the proceeding. This suggests that the actions of the colonists are not achieving their intended purpose and may even be counterproductive.