Question

After the trumpet was sounded and the flag folded, a member of the honor guard knelt in front of my frail, aging mother, looked her directly in the eye and in a soft voice, thanked her — and my father—for his service.
Which detail is most helpful in revealing the writer's desire for her reader to sympathize with her mother?

Incorrect Response

The serviceman is thanking her mother.

Correct Answer

Her mother is frail and aging.


This happened after a funeral.


Her father was a veteran.

Answer 1

The answer is:

Her mother is frail and aging.

By saying this and adding this unnecesary details to the story the author wants you to sympathize with his mother, in a way that we all do with grandmas because of that fragility.

Answer 2

Her father was a vertran