Question

Refer to Explorations in Literature for a complete version of this story. Which textual evidence from “The Interlopers” supports the conclusion that hatred feeds on itself?

A. "'I never thought to have wanted to do other than hate you all my life, but I think I have changed my mind about things too, this last half-hour.'"

B. "The feud might, perhaps, have died down or been compromised if the personal ill-will of the two men had not stood in the way; as boys they had thirsted for one another's blood, as men each prayed that misfortune might fall on the other…"

C. "But the game for whose presence he kept so keen an outlook was none that figured in the sportsman's calendar as lawful and proper for the chase; Ulrich von Gradwitz patrolled the dark forest in quest of a human enemy."

D. "The descending twig had slashed the skin of his face, and he had to wink away some drops of blood from his eyelashes before he could take in a general view of the dis

Answer 1

B. "The feud might, perhaps, have died down or been compromised if the personal ill-will of the two men had not stood in the way; as boys they had thirsted for one another's blood, as men each prayed that misfortune might fall on the other…"

In this quote, it states that the feud or hatred between the families may have dissipated or gone away. However, since the two men have negative personal feelings toward each other it keeps the feud going. This shows that hatred feeds on itself and keeps it going. The other options are incorrect because in A the character is changing his mind about the hate, in C it shows that they're looking for men not animals, and in D the damage the tree caused to his face is being described.