How does the image of a "big, yeasty mound of dough rising in her chest" impact the passage? - It conveys Zoë's anticipation. - It creates an absurd tone. - It establishes a joyful mood. - It demonstrates Zoë's creativity.

The image of a "big, yeasty mound of dough rising in her chest" impacts the passage by creating a vivid metaphor for the feelings that the character, Zoë, is experiencing. Among the provided options, the phrase most plausibly conveys Zoë's anticipation. This metaphor suggests an inner growth or excitement building up inside her, akin to dough that rises as it proofs. The image might evoke the sense of something imminent and growing larger over time, which can be directly connected to the feeling of anticipation as one awaits an outcome or event.

The metaphor doesn't necessarily establish a joyful mood by itself; mood would depend on the context within the passage. Likewise, it does not inherently create an absurd tone unless the overall narrative supports this interpretation; metaphors can be quite rich and evocative without necessarily being absurd. Lastly, while the use of a creative metaphor could demonstrate Zoë's creativity, it more directly conveys a feeling (anticipation) rather than telling us about her personal traits such as creativity.

Extra: Metaphors are a key tool in literature that allow writers to express complex ideas, feelings, and images in a more engaging and relatable manner. The choice of comparing emotions to rising dough is not a literal description, but it creates a powerful image that helps readers understand the intensity and nature of the emotion. When making a metaphor, an author takes two seemingly unrelated things and implicitly suggests a comparison between them. Here, the slowly growing, expanding nature of rising dough serves as a parallel to Zoë's internal emotional state.

The use of metaphor adds depth to writing, making it richer and often more relatable. It can draw on the readers' senses and experiences to convey emotions and create imagery. In this case, the reference to "rising dough" can also engage tactile and olfactory senses, as readers might imagine the feeling of touch and the smell associated with dough, which helps to create a more immersive experience in the narrative.

Understanding how metaphors work is an important part of literary analysis because they are so commonly used and can significantly alter the reader's interpretation of a text. They can also showcase an author's style, contribute to the tone and mood of a passage, and reveal deeper meanings behind the surface-level narrative.