Read the excerpt from "Missing in Action” by Thanhha Lai. Everything on the altar remains for the day except the portrait. Mother locks it away as soon as her chant ends. She cannot bear to look into Father’s forever-young eyes. How does the use of plot contribute to the tone of the excerpt?

The events show Mother performing a ritual, then quickly putting away Father’s portrait because looking at his eyes is too painful. This detail presents the family’s loss as deeply painful and creates a tone of grief. The excerpt does not focus on anger, respect for the ritual, or uncertainty about the setting.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.