Question

review the passage. the simile is shown in bold. the desert flowers, so abundant in april, were dying now. i had the notion that they were calling to each other. i cruised for hours. the moon rose into the sky like a lost balloon. somewhere in the dark shapes of the maricopas, a coyote howled. in the days and weeks and years that followed, everyone agreed: they had never seen anything like it. from jerry spinelli, stargirl. copyright 2000 by jerry spinelli. what is the effect of the simile on the passages meaning or tone? it contributes to a feeling of uneasiness. it contributes to a feeling of tranquility. it contributes to a feeling of wonder.

Explanation:

A lost balloon floating in the sky is an unusual and whimsical image. Comparing the moon to a lost balloon in a desert - like setting with dying flowers and a howling coyote creates a sense of the extraordinary and evokes a feeling of wonder. It is not about uneasiness as there are no threatening elements emphasized in relation to the simile. Nor does it suggest tranquility as the image of a lost balloon has a sense of aimlessness and the overall scene has some wild elements (coyote howling).

Answer:

It contributes to a feeling of wonder.