Question

Read the passage.

Damon and Pythias

How does the author create surprise in this myth?


A. The author foreshadows that Pythias will not return, but he does.


B. The author draws a parallel between Pythias and Damon, but Damon turns out to be braver.

C. The author sets up Dionysius as cruel, but he is won over by the example of the two friends.


D. The author establishes intense loyalty between the friends, but Damon betrays Pythias in the end.

Answer 1

The author creates surprise in the myth by subverting the audience's expectations regarding Dionysius's character, who, despite being cruel, is won over by the display of loyalty between Damon and Pythias.

Step-by-step explanation:

The author creates surprise in the myth of Damon and Pythias by setting up expectations about the characters and then subverting them. The surprise in the myth comes from the fact that Dionysius, who is initially portrayed as cruel, is ultimately moved by the display of loyalty and self-sacrifice between the two friends, Damon and Pythias.

This plays into option C, where despite the foreshadowing of Dionysius's cruelty, he is won over by the admirable qualities he observes in the friendship, which goes against the expected outcome of his character's behavior. Thus, the author's use of surprise on altering the audience's expectations about the characters, specifically Dionysius.