How can imitating an author's stylistic choices help to understand a piece of literature and improve one's writing?

It helps one understand writing better.

Explanation:

If you imitate the writing of a specific author, you are opening your mind to new ideas and your brain will grow by trying something new out. Scientific evidence shows that when you write something down, you remember it better. This also goes for imitating writing. You will understand the new idea of writing and it will improve your own writing because you have experienced different things. The only way to get better at writing is to write.

:)

answer holy cow

explanation:

b. both have yearned to escape the environment they experienced as a child.