Why does hurston open the novel with an analogy? what authorial purpose does it serve?

Is "ing" an unstressed or stressed syllable?

Select the dangling modifier in the paragraph. yesterday was a rough day. running for the bus, the rain began to pour. then, at guitar lessons, i had to play a song i hadn’t practiced. while walking home, i turned my ankle. my swollen ankle caused me to limp.

Which sentence best summarizes this excerpt from book 21 of the odyssey?