Question

Read this passage from judith ortiz cofer's "gravity". i was taking a stand by refusing to decorate with angels and saints, and by disdaining everything my parents loved. my mother put [a guardian angel picture] up in the hallway, right in front of my bedroom door so that i'd have to see it coming in and out. what internal conflict does the external conflict in this passage suggest? a. elenita's father is embarrassed about his social status. b. elenita tries to suppress, or hide, her cultural identity. c. elenita is losing her faith in religion and spirituality. d. elenita's mother tries to force her cultural values on her daughter.

Answer 1

The passage from 'Gravity' shows a conflict where the protagonist's mother represents traditional cultural values, which clash with her daughter Elenita's modern views.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Judith Ortiz Cofer's "Gravity," the protagonist's external act of rejecting to decorate with angels and saints indicates an internal conflict reflecting her struggle with cultural identity and generational differences. The mother's placement of the guardian angel picture represents a symbolic force of her cultural values upon her daughter. Thus, the correct answer to the question is option D: Elenita's mother tries to force her cultural values on her daughter.

Answer 2

The external conflict in Judith Ortiz Cofer's 'Gravity' suggests that Elenita is struggling with suppressing her cultural identity and is conflicted about her family's traditions versus her desire for independence. So the correct option is b.

Step-by-step explanation:

The internal conflict suggested by the external conflict in the passage from Judith Ortiz Cofer's "Gravity" is that Elenita is trying to suppress, or hide, her cultural identity. This internal struggle is reflected in her refusal to decorate with angels and saints and in her disdain for the things her parents love. It is further illustrated by her mother's action of placing a guardian angel picture in the hallway—Elenita's mother is not merely decorating the home, but she is also attempting to assert cultural values, which Elenita seems to be rejecting. The passage indicates an internal conflict of cultural and generational identity, where Elenita is caught between her desire for independence and her family's traditions.