Directions: Read the excerpt from the short story "Safety of Numbers" and annotate with a purpose for evidence of conflict. Highlight examples of conflict and identify the type of conflict.

Excerpt:
> That final week of preparations, I barely leave the house at all. Mom has me in bed by nine thirty every night and taking Vitamin C pills every day, just in case. On the Friday before the test, I am concentrating for once, really concentrating when she comes into my room and throws bits of colored paper on my desk.

> "What is this?" she asks. "8.5? 9.1? 10? 'I'd do you!'?"

> Cat's performance Post-Its lie there looking defeated, having been crumpled and then smoothed out again. Mom's hair is bigger than usual, and suddenly I feel my own stand up at the back of my neck, as if some gene of hers has just decided to assert itself, to remind me whose daughter I am.

> "You go through my trash?"

> Mom blinks a couple times and stands up straight, as if she has been asked a difficult theoretical question. In that moment of triumph, I feel my chest expand and my eyebrows rise a fraction of an inch—this, too, is an expression of hers. The shock of reacting like her twice in twenty seconds makes me look away, and by the time I look back, she is pretending that she hasn't heard me at all.

> "I don't want you around that girl anymore," she says quietly.

> When I realize she is talking about Cat, my face grows hot. I think of all the words I could use to say how I'm feeling now: irate, livid, incensed. I am one adjective away from bellicose. But they are all too neat to describe the mix of emotions going through me.

> "She's my best friend. You don't have a say in it."

(Note: This version maintains the instructions and organizes the text for clarity and focus on the task of identifying conflict.)



Answer :

Final answer:

In the short story excerpt, conflict arises between the protagonist and their mother, showcasing both external and internal struggles.


Explanation:

Conflict: In the excerpt from the short story "Safety of Numbers," conflict is evident between the protagonist and their mother. The conflict is both external and internal, as the protagonist asserts their independence (external) while also battling conflicting emotions and loyalty towards their mother (internal). For instance, when the mother expresses disapproval of the protagonist's friend, Cat, a clash of beliefs and values arises.


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