Question

read the excerpt from act ii of hamlet. hamlet: my excellent good friends! how dost thou, guildenstern? ah, rosencrantz! good lads, how do ye both? rosencrantz: as the indifferent children of the earth. in this excerpt, rosencrantz compares himself and guildenstern to indifferent children. which statement best describes the effect of this simile? ○ it emphasizes that rosencrantz and guildenstern are hamlets good friends. ○ it shows that rosencrantz and guildenstern are innocent characters. ○ it reveals that rosencrantz and guildenstern have been friends since childhood. ○ it uses a strong image to show that rosencrantz and guildenstern are sneaky.

Explanation:

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things using "like" or "as". In this case, Rosencrantz compares himself and Guildenstern to "indifferent children of the earth". The word "indifferent" implies a lack of concern or care, and when combined with the image of children (who can be seen as naive or unknowing in some contexts), it creates a vivid picture. Analyzing the options:

• Option 1: The simile does not emphasize their friendship. Hamlet calls them friends, but the simile itself is Rosencrantz's description which is more about their nature (as per the simile) rather than reinforcing Hamlet's view of their friendship.
• Option 2: The word "indifferent" does not connote innocence. Innocence is more about lack of guilt or knowledge of evil, while "indifferent" is about lack of concern.
• Option 3: There is no indication in the simile about their childhood friendship. The simile is about their current nature (like indifferent children in a sense of their approach or demeanor).
• Option 4: The use of "indifferent" can be seen as a negative trait (as they are not truly engaged or are perhaps hiding their true motives - which is sneaky behavior in the context of the play where they are sent by the king to spy on Hamlet). The strong image of "indifferent children" (children can sometimes be seen as not fully truthful or hiding things in a naive - but still sneaky - way in some interpretations) helps show their sneaky nature.

Answer:

It uses a strong image to show that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are sneaky.