Question

Read the excerpt adapted from Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce: The wide playgrounds were swarming with boys playing football. All were shouting and the captains urged them on with strong cries. The evening air was pale and chilly, and the greasy leather ball flew like a heavy bird through the grey light. He kept on the edge of his line, out of sight of his captain, out of the reach of the rude feet, pretending to run now and then. His body felt small and he did his best to hide in plain sight. Which mood does the author develop with syntax and diction? A. joyful B. sarcastic C. angry D. gloomy

Answer 1

Answer:

D. Gloomy.

Explanation:

James Joyce's "Portrait Of An Artist As A Young Man" follows the life of the protagonist Stephen Dedalus, focusing on his intellectual and religious awakening. At the same time, it also deals with the themes of betrayal, alienation, and finding his identity on his way to becoming the famous person he will be.

As seen in the given passage from the text, we see a young Stephen among other boys on the playground. While the others were playing football, he remained on the sidelines, "out of sight of his captain, out of the reach of the rude feet, pretending to run now and then". Added to that, the narrator states that the "evening air was pale and chilly". Through these words, we can know that the scene's mood is gloomy, with no real sense of happiness or excitement in the young Stephen.