Question

Read the following excerpt from the article "Vision, Voice and the Power of Creation: An Author Speaks Out," by T. A. Barron, and answer the question that follows:
Another way to tap the power of imagination is through place. My own background as a writer is rooted in nature, having grown up reading Henry David Thoreau, Rachel Carson, and John Muir long before I ever dipped into Madeleine L'Engle, Lloyd Alexander, Ursula Le Guin, E. B. White, or J.R.R. Tolkien. My early writings were really nature journals; at nine, I wrote a complete biography—of a tree. (It was a once-majestic chestnut tree not far from my home.) So it should come as no surprise that I view place as much more than just a setting for a story. It is, in truth, another form of character, no less alive and complex, mysterious and contradictory, than the richest character in human form.

The author writes that he "wrote a complete biography—of a tree." What message is implied about the tree with this statement? (10 points)

1)The author couldn't think of any other subject for a biography.

2)The author didn't think a partial biography was enough.

3)The author didn't want to speak for the tree.

4)The author believed the tree had a life story, like a person.

Answer 1

The correct answer is 4) The author believed the tree had a life story, like a person.
Usually, biographies are written for and about people - a biography is a text about someone's life, their accomplishments, and the most important things that happened throughout their lives. However, Barron thought of this tree as an actual living person who deserved to have its story told, which is why he wrote a biography about its life.

Answer 2

I believe your answer is 4). The author believed the tree had a life story, like a person.