Question

Read the excerpt from The Old Town by Jacob Riis and answer the question that follows.

The Old Town stood on a wide plain, the fertile marsh between it and the shore, behind it the barren heath, with no tree or shrub to break the sweep of the pitiless west wind. The shrubs on the barrows, beneath which slept the old vikings, looked toward the sea they loved so well. In summer and winter it piped its melancholy above their heads. At sundown the fog, rolling in over the land in a dense gray cloud, wrapped them in their damp embrace.

By looking at the bolded sections of the passage, what can the reader take away from the personification used?

The people that live in Old Town are always happy.
The Vikings are a threat to the waters that surround Old Town.
The weather is a character in itself and communicates a gloomy mood to the reader.
It is difficult to get too and from the town because it the mountains are menacing and mean.

Answer 1

The personification used in the bolded sections of the passage suggests that [C. the weather is a character in itself and communicates a gloomy mood to the reader].

This can be inferred from the description of the "pitiless west wind" and the fog that "wrapped them in their damp embrace." The personification gives human-like qualities to the weather elements, portraying them as active participants in the scene.

The phrase "pitiless west wind" implies that the wind is harsh and unforgiving, adding to the somber tone of the passage. Additionally, the fog is described as rolling in over the land and enveloping the people, creating a sense of melancholy and dampness.

These personifications contribute to the overall atmosphere of the Old Town, conveying a feeling of hardship and sadness. Therefore, option C is the correct answer: The weather is a character in itself and communicates a gloomy mood to the reader.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

The weather is a character in itself and communicates a gloomy mood to the reader.

Step-by-step explanation:

I just know (;