Read this passage from the Ramayana by R. K. Narayan. At this point in the epic, the King has consented to let Rama accompany the sage, but is not happy about it. How is the cultural context of the Ramayana NOT like our own culture? The King looked woebegone and desperate, and the sage relented enough to utter a word of comfort. “You cannot count on the physical proximity of someone you love, all the time. A seed that sprouts at the foot of its parent tree remains stunted until it is transplanted. Rama will be in my care, and he will be quite well. But ultimately, he will leave me too. Every human being, when the time comes, has to depart and seek his fulfillment in his own way.”

A. Sages still have more authority in the modern world than rulers of nations do.

B. Parents still want to protect their children from potential dangers and harm.

c. People still use analogies and other figurative language to clarify their ideas.

D. Young people still leave home in order to establish themselves on their own.