Question

Difficulty: MediumCharacter Analysis and Perspectives

Read the following translation of an excerpt from a short story set in Galicia:

"For sixty years, Doña Mercedes watched the tide return to the rocky shores of her village. To her grandson, Thiago, the ocean was a grid of coordinates and potential yields, a resource to be charted and conquered with modern sonars and steel-hulled trawlers. But to Mercedes, the water was a living ledger of the family's history, holding both the memory of her husband’s lost vessel and the quiet rhythms that had sustained the community for generations. When Thiago proudly displayed his new digital maps, pointing to the areas he planned to harvest next, Mercedes simply touched the worn wood of the windowsill and remarked that some depths are not meant to be measured. Thiago sighed, seeing only the obstinacy of old age in her quiet resistance."

Based on the passage, which of the following best describes Thiago's perspective regarding his grandmother's attitude toward the sea?

  1. He views her reluctance as a simple stubbornness that comes with growing old.Answer
  2. B
    He believes her concern is based on the financial risks of modernizing the fishing fleet.
  3. C
    He shares the narrator's view that the ocean is a sacred space that must be preserved at all costs.
  4. D
    He assumes she is unable to comprehend the complexity of the new digital maps.

Answer

He views her reluctance as a simple stubbornness that comes with growing old.
The final sentence of the passage states that Thiago saw 'only the obstinacy of old age in her quiet resistance.' This directly supports the option stating that he views her reluctance as simple stubbornness that comes with growing old.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the passage to locate Thiago's thoughts and reactions to Doña Mercedes's words.
Thiago's reaction is described in the final sentence: he sighs and sees 'only the obstinacy of old age in her quiet resistance.'
This identifies the specific portion of the text that details his perspective on his grandmother's attitude.
2
Match Thiago's reaction in the text with the given options.
The word 'obstinacy' translates directly to stubbornness, and 'old age' corresponds to growing old.
This ensures the correct option aligns semantically with the literal details provided in the passage.

Key Concept

Analyzing character perspectives involves using textual evidence to determine how characters perceive each other's beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors, rather than relying on external assumptions.
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