Question

question 5 of 14
read this excerpt from the adventures of robinson crusoe:

as to my boat, it was a very good one; and that the
captain saw, and told me he would buy it of me for the
ships use, and asked me what i would have for it? . . . he
offered me also sixty pieces of eight more for my boy xury,
which i was loth to take. . .

given the context of the rest of the story, what impact does the phrase \my
boy\ have on the meaning of this passage?

a. it shows that the captain respects crusoe because hes asking his
permission to buy xury.

b. it makes the reader aware of how young xury is and how far he is
from home.

c. it highlights the fact that crusoe has grown fond of xury after all
theyve been through together.

d. it emphasizes the point that xury is crusoes property and crusoe
can do with him as he pleases.

Explanation:

In the context of The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, the phrase "my boy" in reference to Xury (an enslaved character) reflects the colonial-era view of enslaved people as property. The captain offers to buy Xury like the boat, and Crusoe’s hesitation does not negate the framing of Xury as Crusoe’s possession. This aligns with the historical context of the novel, where enslavement was normalized, making "my boy" a marker of ownership rather than affection, youth, or respect.

Answer:

D. It emphasizes the point that Xury is Crusoe's property and Crusoe can do with him as he pleases.