Question

“So was I speaking and weeping in the most bitter contrition [state of repenting or making up for bad deeds] of my heart, when lo! I heard from a neighboring house a voice, as of boy or girl, I know not, chanting and oft [often] repeating, ‘Take up [take an interest] and read; Take up and read.’ Instantly, my countenance [physical state, attitude] altered [changed], I began to think most intently [with great focus], whether children were wont [likely] in any kind of play to sing such words; nor could I remember ever to have heard the like. So checking the torrent [steady flow] of my tears, I arose; interpreting [determining] it to be no other than a command from God, to open the book, and read the first chapter I should find. . . . Instantly at the end of [the first] sentence, by a light as it were of serenity [peace] infused [filled] into my heart, all the darkness of doubt vanished away.” —Augustine, The Confessions of St. Augustine According to the excerpt, how was Augustine feeling at the beginning of the passage?
A. happy
B.peaceful
C. puzzled
D.Troubled

Answer 1

Answer:

D. Troubled

Explanation:

There are three key moments to identify the emotion that Augustine was feeling. First, he states that he was "weeping in the most bitter contrition". This means that he was crying because he was worried about the bad deeds he had done, and was thinking about repenting. Therefore, he was troubled by his thoughts of the sins he had commited and how to make up for them by repenting.

Second, when he says he was "checking the torrent of my tears", he confirms that before listening to the voice of the children he was crying, which indicates he was not feeling well and was troubled by his thoughts.

Third, Augustine states that reading the passage of the bible "by a light as it were of serenity infused into my heart, all the darkness of doubt vanished away". This explains why he was feeling troubled, as before reading he was feeling doubts about his faith and the passage reassured him gave him peace.