12. Read the following sentence from John Gardner's Grendel:
I played my way farther out into the world, vast cavern aboveground, cautiously darting from tree
to tree challenging the terrible forces of night on tiptoe (16).
Which statement best describes the impact that the diction or word choice of the phrase
"challenging the terrible forces of night on tiptoe" has on this sentence? Why would a fierce
monster such as Grendel be on "tiptoe?"
(2 Points)
O
a. The word choice shows that Grendel is unafraid.
O
b. The word choice shows that Grendel is carefree and enjoys the challenge.
c. The word choice shows that Grendel is angry and eager to join the battle.
O
d. The word choice shows that Grendel is cautious and hesitant to confront this challenge.