PART B: Which phrase from the text best supports the answers to Part A?

[RL. 2]

[RL. 1]

A. "Many years later, Oedipus is told by a drunk that Polybus is not his real father but when he asks his parents, they deny it." (Paragraph 5)

B. "They fight over who has the right to go first and Oedipus kills Laius in self defense, unwittingly fulfilling part of the prophecy." (Paragraph 6)

C. "Oedipus was the first to answer the riddle correctly. Having heard Oedipus' answer, the Sphinx is astounded and inexplicably kills itself, freeing Thebes." (Paragraph 7)

D. "He is exiled from Thebes and spends the remainder of his life wandering the desert." (Paragraph 9)

The correct answer is B. "They fight over who has the right to go first and Oedipus kills Laius in self defense, unwittingly fulfilling part of the prophecy." (Paragraph 6)

Explanation:

Part A deals with the central theme of the myth of Oedipus, which is fate and free will. Since Oedipus was destined to kill his father and marry his mother, he tried to run away from it and even beforehand, his real father, Laius, tried to prevent this from happening. However, since this was their fate, their free will didn't really exist and they were destined to meet this fate.

The quote that supports this theme is definitely option B as it talks about the prophecy and fate which cannot be avoided.