Question

read this excerpt from the narrative of the life of frederick douglass.

the silver trump of freedom had roused my soul to eternal wakefulness. freedom now appeared, to disappear no more forever. it was heard in every sound, and seen in every thing. it was ever present to torment me with a sense of my wretched condition. i saw nothing without seeing it, i heard nothing without hearing it, and felt nothing without feeling it. it looked from every star, it smiled in every calm, breathed in every wind, and moved in every storm.

from the attitude douglass expresses in the passage, the reader can infer that freedom made douglass feel

• indifferent.
• shocked.
• melancholy.
• overwhelmed.

Explanation:

Analyze the excerpt's imagery

The passage describes how the idea of freedom "had roused my soul to eternal wakefulness." Douglass writes that freedom was "heard in every sound, and seen in every thing," and that it "looked from every star, it smiled in every calm, breathed in every wind, and moved in every storm." This intense, all-encompassing sensory experience shows how deeply and completely the concept of freedom occupied his mind and senses. Using Inference from Text, we can see that this state of mind goes far beyond a simple or mild reaction.

Evaluate the character's attitude

Using Character Attitude Analysis, we examine the emotional weight of his words. Douglass states that freedom was "ever present to torment me with a sense of my wretched condition." The constant presence of this powerful idea in every sight, sound, and feeling—while he was still enslaved—created an intense, consuming, and deeply felt emotional state.

Compare with the given options

• indifferent: Incorrect. His description is highly passionate and active, not indifferent.
• shocked: Incorrect. The passage describes a continuous, consuming state of mind rather than a sudden surprise or shock.
• melancholy: Incorrect. While he feels "torment" due to his current condition, the overall description of freedom's presence is powerful, active, and all-pervading rather than merely sad or depressed.
• overwhelmed: Correct. The description of freedom being in "every sound," "every thing," "every star," "every wind," and "every storm" shows that he is completely consumed and overpowered by the thought of it.

Answer:

• indifferent.
• shocked.
• melancholy.
• overwhelmed. (Correct answer)