Read this excerpt from chapter 2 of The Scarlet Letter . Standing on that miserable eminence, she saw again her native village , in Old England, and her paternal home; a decayed house of gray stone , with a poverty-stricken aspect, but retaining a half-obliterated shield of arms over the portal, in token of antique gentility . What is the effect of the underlined words in this excerpt?
Answer
A
They portray a former setting with judgment and distaste.
B
They portray a former setting with humility and dignity.
C
They impart a sympathetic mood.
D
They impart a frustrated mood.
Explanation
Words such as “decayed” and “poverty-stricken” describe the house in strongly negative terms, while “half-obliterated” suggests its former status has faded. Together, these words portray Hester’s old home as a diminished place, with a tone of judgment and distaste. The passage does not chiefly express humility, sympathy, or frustration.
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