The correct answer is: C. careful analysis of the text itself.
Indeed, it could not be a broad idea about the text since literary interpretation dwells on very precise and focused examination of the text itself and a broad idea is the contrary of such procedure. It could not also be what the story means to a particular person, unless it coincides with the findings obtained after careful analysis of the text.
Careful analysis of a literary text involves a very thorough and deepened analysis of a text. Such text is examined down to its letters, their sounds, the repetition of words, the literary figures, the symbolism , etc. This is the textual information, the paratextual and metatextual and the intertextual information of the text is also researched and analyzed.