Question

but he was bigger than me. he hauls me back and climbs right over me! tramples me into the dirt. and he gets out, and i lie there with all that poison gas pouring down on all sides of me, and flame and stuff. he swallowed - a studied sob - and stood dumbly expectant. he could imagine the next words: tough luck, my man. awfully tough. now i want to - 19 \thats the story, guvnor.\ 20 the spring wind shrilled past them, damp and quivering. 21
ot quite,\ said mr. parsons. 22 the blind peddler shivered crazily.
ot quite? what do you mean, you - ?\ 23 \the story is true,\ mr. parsons said, \except that it was the other way around.\ 24 \other way around?\ he croaked unamiably. 25 \i was in c shop,\ said mr. parsons. \it was the other way around. you were the fellow who hauled back on me and climbed over me. you were bigger than i was, markwardt.\ 26 the blind man stood for a long time, swallowing hoarsely. he gulped: \parsons, i thought you - \ and then he screamed fiendishly: \yes. maybe so. maybe so. but im blind im blind, and youve been standing here letting me spout to you, and laughing at me every minute! im blind!\ 27 people in the street turned to stare at him. 28 \you got away, but im blind! do you hear! im - \ paragraph 19 3 how do paragraphs 16 - 18 develop the beggars point of view about his experience in the westbury explosion? a they demonstrate how the beggar feels like an innocent victim of the explosion who should be pitied. b they describe how the beggar still wants revenge on the man who climbed over him after the explosion. c they show the beggars regret for not helping the other factory workers during the explosion. d they illustrate how appreciative the beggar felt about having a job as a factory workman.

Explanation:

In paragraphs 16 - 18, the beggar (Markwardt) tells his version of the explosion story where he is the victim. He describes being hauled back, trampled, and left in a dangerous situation with poison gas and flames. This portrayal makes him seem like an innocent victim who should be pitied. There is no indication of revenge (B is wrong as there's no mention of seeking revenge in these paragraphs), no regret for not helping others (C is wrong as the focus is on his own victim - like experience), and no appreciation for the factory job (D is wrong as the story is about the explosion and his victim status).

Answer:

A. They demonstrate how the beggar feels like an innocent victim of the explosion who should be pitied.