In ralph ellison’s “the black ball,” the narrator of the story stretches the truth, or lies, several times. what do you think is his motivation for being so untruthful? a. he often tried to protect those around him as well as avoid conflict. b. he tried to minipulate situations so that he gets what he desires c. he is motivated by greed and fires to move up in society through his lies. d. he is driven by anger and tries to seek revenge againsed society by telling lies.

the anecdote makes readers feel sorry for the man’s lack of heritage, then reminds readers that the man has an equally valuable heritage.

in the quotation from passage, connie willis states that literature is a way for authors from the past to communicate with readers of today. we can read their stories, books, and other texts to learn lessons about life. willis refers to these lessons as messages “from beyond the grave.” willis has a favorable viewpoint about the timelessness of literature.