Raymond is hollering from the swings 'cause he knows I'm about to do my thing 'cause the man on the loudspeaker has just announc
ed the fifty-yard dash. . . . I get up and slip off my sweatpants and then I see Gretchen standing at the starting line, kicking her legs out like a pro. Then as I get into place I see that ole Raymond is on line on the other side of the fence, bending down with his fingers on the ground just like he knew what he was doing. I was going to yell at him but then I didn't. It burns up your energy to holler. Which is a theme in this part of the story? A. No matter how busy you are, you have to take care of a younger brother or sister.
B. A serious athlete makes a total commitment to competing.
C. Family is the most important thing there is.
D. A serious athlete notices everything that goes on during a competition.
The correct option is option letter B (A serious athlete makes a total commitment to competing). The short story “<em>Raymond's Run</em>” by Toni Cade Bambara (1990) narrates the story of Hazel Parker (Squeaky) and how she decides to coach her brother Raymond, who has a mental disability, putting her own running career off to coach Raymond. The excerpt from this short story presented above narrates how Squeaky fully <u>commits to her competition</u> noticing everything, but <em>taking care of his energy</em>. For instance, she prefers not to holler at her brother who is alongside the track so as <u>not to waste energy</u> before her competition. This clearly describe how professional and serious she is about competing.
