The excerpt from the Pilgrim at Tinker Creek conveys a tone of shock and surprise, describing how the phrase as given above affects this excerpts.
The tones of shock and surprise denote that there is an expression of such nature due to the happening of an event, which was unexpected to take place.
In the line where the phrase reads, “I couldn't catch my breath” denotes a situation where the reader develops a tone of shock and surprise due to the suddenness of the event.
Hence, option C; the phrase creates a tone of shock and surprise in the excerpt from the Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.
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