Read the excerpt below and answer the question.

Her sister, Miss Watson, a tolerable slim old maid, with goggles on, had just come to live with her, and took a set at me now with a spelling-book. She worked me middling hard for about an hour, and then the widow made her ease up. I couldn't stood it much longer. Then for an hour it was deadly dull, and I was fidgety. Miss Watson would say, "Don't put your feet up there, Huckleberry; " and "Don't scrunch up like that, Huckleberry-set up straight; " and pretty soon she would say, "Don't gap and stretch like that, Huckleberry-why don't you try to behave?"

In at least one hundred words, explain how Twain uses descriptive adjectives to characterize Miss Watson in this excerpt.

Question

Devan Lawson

English

4 April, 15:06

Read the excerpt below and answer the question.

Her sister, Miss Watson, a tolerable slim old maid, with goggles on, had just come to live with her, and took a set at me now with a spelling-book. She worked me middling hard for about an hour, and then the widow made her ease up. I couldn't stood it much longer. Then for an hour it was deadly dull, and I was fidgety. Miss Watson would say, "Don't put your feet up there, Huckleberry; " and "Don't scrunch up like that, Huckleberry-set up straight; " and pretty soon she would say, "Don't gap and stretch like that, Huckleberry-why don't you try to behave?"

In at least one hundred words, explain how Twain uses descriptive adjectives to characterize Miss Watson in this excerpt.

+3

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Heidy Mcdonald · Answer 1

In this excerpt, Twain presents the character of Miss Watson. Instead of immediately providing a clear description of the woman, he uses a lot of descriptive adjectives to characterize her. We gather that she is an older, serious maid. We know this because her description ("old," "tolerable," "with googles on") conveys an idea of severity. We also know that she is a person who appreciates rules and polite behaviour, and that she wants Huckleberry to adhere to this rules ("don't put your feet up there," "don't scrunch up like that," "why don't you try to behave?"). Finally, we know that Huckleberry thinks she is a nagging person ("I couldn't stood it much longer").