Question

The story of the uncle’s madness is central to “A Servant to Servants.” Which lines tell the most haunting part of the story?

"Some thought he had been bitten by a dog.

Because his violence took on the form

Of carrying his pillow in his teeth; "
"Anything they put in for furniture

He’d tear to pieces, even a bed to lie on."
"A bride, to help take care of such a creature,

And accommodate her young life to his."
"He was before my time — I never saw him;

But the pen stayed exactly as it was

There in the upper chamber of the ell,"

Answer 1

"He was before my time — I never saw him;

But the pen stayed exactly as it was

There in the upper chamber of the ell,"

Step-by-step explanation:

In this part of the story we are introduced to a dark moment, where the boy's parents signs an authorization to send him away. This is because this family has a history of mental illness and the boy's parents do not want to be bothered with this responsibility of taking care of someone with this type of problem. The pen they used to sign that warrant has never been touched since that day, and that brings a somber and haunting tone to the passage.

Answer 2

"He was before my time — I never saw him;

But the pen stayed exactly as it was

There in the upper chamber of the ell,"

Step-by-step explanation:

This is the part when the parents decide to send the boy to a place where they wouldn't be bothered anymore. They were tired of the whole situation. Maybe they tried their best, but they couldn't take it. This part is haunting because her sister is the one talking to the stranger and her family has a history of mental illness. Also, her parents seem to not ever want to talk about her brother, since they never touched the pen that most likely was used to sign what sent him away.