Final answer:
The provided excerpts are insufficient to accurately answer the questions without context or the title of the literary work they are from. Additional information from the student is required to provide a precise response.
Step-by-step explanation:
The excerpt provided does not clearly indicate which specific literary work it is from. However, it appears to be a narrative that includes an old man and a situation involving something happening in a field that is raising questions. Without the specific context or title of the work, accurately answering the original questions posed by the student is challenging as each literary piece will have different characters, themes, and settings. To provide an accurate answer, it would be essential to know which story these questions refer to, whether it is a tale from Charles Chesnutt contemplating the Old South, Jack London's portrayal of human struggle in the Yukon, Arthur Miller's examination of life in 'Death of a Salesman', or another narrative.
Since we are unable to determine the correct context and literary work from the given excerpts and questions, it is advisable to seek additional information from the student. They should specify the title of the story or provide more context in order to receive an accurate and helpful response.