Read the excerpt from The Red Badge of Courage. In this excerpt, Henry Fleming has just expressed disapproval of how his commanding officers lead, which he believes caused his regiment to lose the battle they had recently fought."Well, then, if we fight like the devil an’ don’t ever whip, it must be the general’s fault,” said the youth grandly and decisively. "And I don’t see any sense in fighting and fighting and fighting, yet always losing through some derned old lunkhead of a general.”A sarcastic man who was tramping at the youth’s side, then spoke lazily. "Mebbe yeh think yeh fit th’ hull battle yestirday, Fleming,” he remarked.The speech pierced the youth. Inwardly he was reduced to an adject pulp by these chance words. His legs quaked privately. He cast a frightened glance at the sarcastic man."Why, no,” he hastened to say in a conciliating voice "I don’t think I fought the whole battle yesterday.”
Answer
A
by allowing Henry to continue his argument
B
by suggesting that Henry’s thoughts are correct
C
by showing how Henry reflects on his argument
D
by explaining Henry’s misunderstanding of the sarcasm
Explanation
The sarcastic man’s remark makes Henry realize that he has criticized the generals without considering his own role in the battle. The narration shows Henry’s private reaction: he is shaken, his legs quake, and he quickly backs down. This reveals Henry reflecting on his argument, rather than the narrator agreeing with him or explaining the sarcasm.
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