Question

read the excerpt from \drummer man.\

that first year was crammed full of battles, sickness, and sleepless nights spent scratching at lice and ticks. my desire for adventure was long gone by the end of it. even so, when my time came up to reenlist, i did. after all, slavery was still a fact, and i couldnt let my friends, neighbors, and uncle do the fighting for me while i sat home milking cows.

what inference can be made about the narrator?

he enjoys the outdoors.
he has strong convictions.
he believes slavery is necessary.
he believes enlistment is cowardly.

Explanation:

Analyze the narrator's statements and motivations

The narrator describes a miserable first year of war ("battles, sickness, and sleepless nights") and admits that his "desire for adventure was long gone." Despite this, he chooses to reenlist because "slavery was still a fact" and he felt a duty not to let his "friends, neighbors, and uncle do the fighting" while he stayed safely at home.

Evaluate the answer choices based on textual evidence

• He enjoys the outdoors: Incorrect. The text describes suffering from lice, ticks, and sickness, not enjoyment of nature.
• He has strong convictions: Correct. Despite losing his desire for adventure and experiencing severe hardships, his strong moral convictions regarding the fight against slavery and his sense of duty to his community drive him to reenlist.
• He believes slavery is necessary: Incorrect. He mentions "slavery was still a fact" as a reason to fight, implying he opposes it and wants to end it.
• He believes enlistment is cowardly: Incorrect. He reenlists himself and views staying home while others fight as the cowardly act, not enlistment.

Answer:

• He enjoys the outdoors.
• He has strong convictions. (Correct answer)
• He believes slavery is necessary.
• He believes enlistment is cowardly.