Question

select the correct text in the passage.
which two lines of text in this excerpt from william dean howells’s “editha” demonstrate the author’s opposition to conventional ideas of patriotism?
“no, you didn’t expect him to get killed,” mrs. gearson repeated in a voice which was startlingly like george’s again. “you just expected him to kill someone else, same of those foreigners, that weren’t there because they had any say about it, but because they had to be there, poor wretches—conscripts, or whatever they call ’em. you thought it would be all right for my george, your george, to kill the sons of those miserable mothers and the husbands of those girls that you would never see the faces of.” the woman lifted her powerful voice in a psalm - like note. “i thank my god he didn’t live to do it! i thank my god they killed him first, and that he ain’t livin’ with their blood on his hands!” she dropped her eyes which she had raised with her voice, and glared at editha. “what you got that black on for?” she lifted herself by her powerful arms so high that her helpless body seemed to hang limp its full length. “take it off, take it off, before i tear it from your back!”

Explanation:

To identify lines opposing conventional patriotism, we look for criticism of typical patriotic ideals (e.g., glorifying war and killing enemies).

• "You just expected him to kill someone else, same of those foreigners, that weren't there because they had any say about it, but because they had to be there, poor wretches—conscripts, or whatever they call 'em." This line critiques the idea of sending soldiers to kill innocent conscripts.
• "I thank my God he didn't live to do it! I thank my God they killed him first, and that he ain't livin' with their blood on his hands!" This line opposes the notion that a soldier should kill others for patriotic reasons, as she's grateful he didn't commit such violence.

Answer:

1. You just expected him to kill someone else, same of those foreigners, that weren't there because they had any say about it, but because they had to be there, poor wretches—conscripts, or whatever they call 'em.
2. I thank my God he didn't live to do it! I thank my God they killed him first, and that he ain't livin' with their blood on his hands!