Question

read the excerpt from part 4 of the odyssey
i happened to glance aft at ship and oarsmen
and caught sight of their arms and legs, dangling
high overhead. voices came down to me
in anguish, calling my name for the last time.
a man surfcosting on a point of rock
for bass or mackerel, whipping his long rod
to drop the sinker and the bait far out,
will hook a fish and rip it from the surface
to dangle wriggling through the air
so these
were borne aloft in spasms toward the cliff
which statement best explains the metaphor in the
excerpt?
odysseuss men are compared to fishermen,
showing their resourcefulness
odysseuss men are compared to fishermen,
showing their love of the sea
odysseuss men are compared to caught fish,
showing their history
odysseuss men are compared to caught fish,
showing their helplessness

Explanation:

A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes an implicit, implied, or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated but share some common characteristics. In the given excerpt, Odysseus' men are compared to caught fish. The description of them "dangling high overhead" and "borne aloft in spasms" is similar to how a fish dangles on a hook. This comparison emphasizes their helplessness as they are at the mercy of a greater force (similar to a fish being at the mercy of the fisherman). The other options are incorrect because:

• Comparing them to fishermen would imply they are in control (which they are not), so the first two options are wrong.
• There is no indication in the metaphor about their history, so the third option is wrong.

Answer:

Odysseus’s men are compared to caught fish, showing their helplessness.