Read this passage from the essay “This Is Spinal Fusion,” which describes the writer’s experience wearing a back brace. Note the tone created by the connotations of words. The near-constant bracing coincided with some of the most awkward months of my early adolescent life. At first I was excited by the prospect of a solution. I clung to that hope through the humiliating process of fitting, which required me to wear a thin cotton body sock while a stranger measured and molded my torso. The product looked medieval: a portable, plastic iron maiden. Instead of spikes, though, the prosthetic was to use hard, round protuberances to torment me.
What emotional effect do the author’s word choices create?
The word choices help readers sympathize with the writer’s painful experiences.
The word choices cause readers to feel annoyed and impatient with the writer.
The word choices show that the writer is emotionally neutral about her subject.
The word choices show that the writer is very angry about her experience.