Question

Read each of the excerpts from "The Revolt of Mother."

There was a sudden dropping and enlarging of the lower part of the old man’s face, as if some heavy weight had settled therein; he shut his mouth tight, and went on harnessing the great bay mare. He hustled the collar on to her neck with a jerc.

A boy stood before the kitchen glass combing his hair. He combed slowly and painstakingly, arranging his brown hair in a smooth hillock over his forehead. He did not seem to pay any attention to the conversation.

Which best explains why the author included both of these scenes in the story?
A. to develop the connection between the barn and the house
B. to develop the relationship between the male and female characters
C. to develop the connection between the animals and the people
D. to develop the relationship between the old man and the boy

Answer 1

The statement best explains why the author included both of these scenes in the story is D. to develop the relationship between the old man and the boy. The Revolt of Mother is a short story by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman and was originally published in 1890 in Harper’s Bazaar. The themes are about rebellion, self-assertion, tradition, and the repression of women in a male-dominated society.

Answer 2

I think the best statement that explains why the author included both of these scenes in the story is that its purpose is to develop the relationship between the old man and the boy. The answer is letter D.