"a certain fear of death, dull and oppressive, came to him. this fear quickly became poignant as he realized that it was no longer a mere matter of freezing his fingers and toes, or of losing his hands and feet, but that it was a matter of life and death with the chances against him. this threw him into a panic, and he turned and ran up the creek-bed along the old, dim trail."

what is the most significant factor about the reading passage related to the characterization of the man?

a. the passage demonstrates growth of the character.

b. the passage demonstrates weakness in the character.

c. the passage demonstrates arrogance in the character.

d. the passage demonstrates the hope of the character.