Question

close read: analyze the text
identify the choice that best answers the question.

when the main character speaking in the selection from the grapes of wrath says, “you’re not buying only junk, you’re buying junked lives,” what does he mean?

a. those who buy others’ junk have little meaning in their lives.

b. the junk represents the now ruined lives of its owners.

c. only people with bad taste would accumulate and sell such rubbish.

d. the value of junk is only clear to those who learn to appreciate it.

Explanation:

The quote links "junk" to "junked lives" in the context of The Grapes of Wrath, where characters face economic ruin (e.g., losing homes/farms). The junk is their discarded possessions, symbolizing their destroyed livelihoods. Option B directly connects the junk to the owners' ruined lives, matching the metaphor.

Answer:

B. The junk represents the now ruined lives of its owners.