Answer:
The best answer to the question: Given the historical context of The Land, how is the way Robert behaves towards Paul surprising? Would be: Since Paul is white, it´s surprising that he treats Paul as his equal.
Explanation:
"The Land" is the novel that was written by American author Mildred D. Taylor, and which was first published in 2001, as the fifth and last book of the Logan Family saga. Given the context of the story, that of discrimination against people of color and slavery, it is impacting to see the depiction of a biracial boy, Paul, born of a white father and black-Native American mother, who experiences the absence of such discrimination and inequality from his own brother Robert, son of his father, but not of his mother, and who is white. The impact comes from the fact that to Robert, who is white, and who should have been thus prejudiced towards Paul, cannot see the differences between the two, and constantly states that he would like for he and Paul to be treated equally. This is why the answer is the first option.