(3) trees were so rare in that country, and they had to make such a hard fight to grow, that we used to feel anxious about them, and visit them as if they were persons.

what is the purpose or effect of comparing trees to "persons" in the third paragraph of this passage?

a) to make the trees seem more common and friendly to the narrator

b) to make the trees seem frightening to the young narrator and antonia

c) to show how unimportant trees were to people during this time, period

d) to show how valuable and rare trees were in the narrator's landscape