Question

Which two excerpts from the short story "The Southpaw" best represent the theme of the story?

A.
Dear Janet,

Why don’t you just forget about baseball and learn something nice like knitting?

B.
Dear Janet,

Remember when I took the laces out of my blue-and-white sneakers and gave them to you? I want them back.

C.
Dear Janet,

Here’s the silver horseback riding trophy that you gave me. I don’t think I want to keep it anymore.

D.
Dear Janet,

No girl has ever played on the Mapes Street baseball team, and as long as I’m captain, no girl ever will.

E.
Dear Janet,

Alfie is having his tonsils out tomorrow. We might be able to let you catch next week.

Answer 1

The two excerpts that best represent the theme of the story "The Southpaw" are:

B. Dear Janet, Remember when I took the laces out of my blue-and-white sneakers and gave them to you? I want them back.

D. Dear Janet, No girl has ever played on the Mapes Street baseball team, and as long as I’m captain, no girl ever will.

Step-by-step explanation:

These excerpts highlight the theme of gender stereotypes and the challenges the protagonist faces in pursuing their passion for baseball as a girl. The first excerpt implies that the protagonist's interest in baseball is seen as unconventional and suggests a societal expectation for girls to engage in more traditionally feminine activities. The second excerpt emphasizes the exclusion and resistance the protagonist encounters from others who hold rigid views on gender roles in sports.