What type of information does italicized writing provide?

Which detail from the text best demonstrates the effect of totalitarianism on the animals? "progress was made in the dry frosty weather that followed." "it had been decided to build the walls three feet thick." "they were always cold, and usually hungry as well." "for a long time the quarry was full of snowdrifts and nothing could be done."

Which statement best reflects how martin luther king, jr. uses rhetoric and style in paragraph 9 of "letter from a birmingham jail" to assist him in advocating the use of nonviolent direct action to achieve justice for negro citizens in birmingham? click here to read the letter.

London includes a quote about john thornton as he is observing hal attempt to motivate the exhausted dogs "it was idle, he knew, to get between a fool and his folly". if the word "idle" is defined as "of no real worth, importance, or significance", what does this statement mean with regard to hal? who is the fool? what is hal's folly? why would john thornton think it of no real worth or useless to intervene?