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: Right now, I am spending a lot of time listening to the voice of a particularly compelling character: the young Merlin. In the end, I finally heard the voice of Merlin thanks to a surprising source: the haunting, mysterious hooting of a great horned owl outside the window of my Colorado home. As I listened to that owl's resonant [echoing] call in the pre-dawn hours one morning, something about it gave me a whole new cadence [rhythm], a whole new sound. And then, a whole new voice. Which adjective supports the author's explicit message about his inspiration for Merlin's voice?
The adjective that supports the author's explicit message about his inspiration for Merlin's voice is the word surprising.
Explanation: The author specifies that he has been thinking a lot about the voice for the character Merlin. Barron explains that he gained his inspiration from an unexpected creature; the horned owl from outside his window. His message is that writers can be creative by finding inspiration from the places they least expect.
Haunting and mysterious. Both these words are beyond our normal 5 senses. He was moved by something beyond what could be heard or seen (smelled or touch or tasted for that matter). When the owls voice sounded, it was as though a wish had been granted.
