Question

question 7 of 10
read this passage from
otes of a native son,\ in which the narrator sees his father dying:

the moment i saw my father i knew why i had put off this visit so long. i had told my mother that i did not want to see him because i hated him. but this was not true. it was only that i had hated him and i wanted to hold on to this hatred.

in what way does this scene show one of the central ideas of james baldwins essay?

a. the scene shows how freedom is a responsibility.

b. the scene shows how hatred is a choice, not a fact of life.

c. the scene shows how weakness comes even to the powerful.

d. the scene shows how love is a gift that never lasts long.

Explanation:

In the passage, the narrator says he claimed to hate his father but admits he "wanted to hold on to this hatred"—implying hatred is a choice (he chooses to cling to it, even if his feelings shifted). Option A is about freedom/responsibility (not supported here). Option C focuses on weakness of the powerful (unrelated to hatred as a choice). Option D is about love's duration (not relevant). Only B aligns with the idea that hatred is a chosen state, not an inherent fact.

Answer:

B. The scene shows how hatred is a choice, not a fact of life.