Question

from winesburg, ohio
all through his boyhood and young manhood george willard had been in the habit of walking on trunion pike. he had been in the middle of the street again in the silence. he did walk to where the road dipped down by a little stream two miles from town and then turned and walked silently. they asked, \hey, you george. how does it feel to be going?\
the west bound train leaves winesburg at seven forty - five in the morning. tom little is conductor. his train runs from cleveland to where it connects with a great trunk line railroad with terminals in chicago and new york. tom has what in railroad circles is called an \easy run.\ every evening he returned to his family. in the fall and spring he spends his sundays fishing in lake erie. he has a round red face and small blue eyes. he knows the people in the towns along his railroad better than a city man knows the people who live in his apartment building.
(from winesburg, ohio by sherwood anderson)
which characteristics are mainly contrasted in the descriptions of george willard and tom little?

1. bravery and fear
2. foolishness and wisdom
3. freedom and confinement
4. restlessness and contentment

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze the characters: George Willard seems to have a more confined, small - town - rooted life (implied by his walks in Winesburg and connection to the town), while Tom Little has a more free - spirited, mobile life (travels on railroads, fishes in Lake Erie, knows many places). So the contrast is between freedom (Tom's mobile, unrestricted life) and confinement (George's more rooted, small - town life). Option 3 (freedom and confinement) matches this contrast. Other options: 1 (bravery and fear) has no basis, 2 (foolishness and wisdom) is not shown, 4 (restlessness and contentment) doesn't fit as Tom isn't restless in a negative way and George's contentment isn't the main contrast.

Answer:

1. freedom and confinement