The author ends the passage by noting the newspaper says the man fell asleep in order to
Show Hint
- convince the reader that trains are an incredibly dangerous form of transportation
- show how little people care about tramps
- indicate the dangers of sleeping on train tracks
- show sympathy with the train crew that finds a man under the train
- mock the hobo who gets "caught" under a train
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Question
This question asks about the author's purpose for including the detail about the newspaper report at the very end of the passage. We need to consider the contrast between what the author described and what the newspaper reported.
Step 2: Analyzing the Author's Narrative vs. the Newspaper Report
The author provides a graphic, detailed account of a deliberate and brutal murder. The reader knows exactly how the tramp died.
The newspaper, however, reports the death as a mundane accident: "...mentions the unknown man, undoubtedly a tramp, assumably drunk, who had probably fallen asleep on the track."
The contrast is stark. The truth (murder) is replaced by a dismissive explanation based on stereotypes (tramps are drunks who cause their own misfortune).
Step 3: Determining the Author's Purpose
The author uses this contrast ironically to make a social commentary. The newspaper's account shows that society at large, represented by the press, does not value the life of a tramp. His death is not investigated or given a second thought; it is written off with a convenient and prejudiced explanation. This highlights a deep-seated societal indifference.
(A) While trains can be dangerous, the author's point is not about transportation safety in general, but about a specific act of murder.
(B) This aligns perfectly. The lazy, stereotypical reporting reveals a lack of concern for the tramp's life and dignity.
(C) The danger is not sleeping on the tracks, as the reader knows the tramp was killed while riding the rods. The newspaper account is false.
(D) The newspaper report absolves the train crew of any wrongdoing, but the author's purpose is not to generate sympathy for them, but to criticize the system that allows their actions to go unnoticed.
(E) The author's tone is tragic and critical, not mocking towards the hobo.
Step 4: Final Answer
By showing the gap between the horrific reality and the indifferent public account, the author effectively demonstrates how little society cares about the fate of marginalized individuals like tramps.
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