Read the following passage carefully:
*The dry gesso cracked under Thomas’s thumb as he tested the tautness of the canvas, the sound sharp in the quiet studio. On the back of his hand, a thin, silver scar caught the late afternoon light. Instantly, the smell of turpentine faded, replaced by the damp odor of river mud and the sound of his brother’s laughter echoing from twenty years ago. It had been the summer of the great flood, when they had built a raft out of salvaged pine boards. The hemlock branch had snagged his wrist as the current swept them toward the mill bend, a moment of sharp terror before they tumbled onto the gravel bank. Now, Thomas dipped his brush into the dark Prussian blue. The first stroke across the white fabric was slow, deliberate, and entirely cold. He did not paint the river; instead, he began the outline of the brick kiln that had stood empty since the day they left the valley.*
Which of the following best describes the narrative function of the shift from the studio to the memory of the river?
- It interrupts the chronological present in the studio to reveal a memory associated with the protagonist's scar, which informs his choice of subject for the canvas.Answer
- BIt chronologically lists Thomas’s childhood adventures by the river and details his brother’s rescue efforts before returning to his work in the studio.
- CIt indicates that the events in the studio and the events at the river are occurring simultaneously, representing Thomas’s ability to paint while remembering the past.
- DIt serves primarily to describe the physical landscape of the river valley as a literal backdrop for the painting Thomas is preparing to create.
- EIt introduces an unresolved conflict between Thomas and his brother that explains why Thomas now lives in isolation.