Question

Read the excerpt and answer the question that follows.

"The doctor told me that the major's wife, who was very young and whom he had not married until he was definitely invalided out of the war, had died of pneumonia. She had been sick only a few days. No one expected her to die."

What is the mood of the excerpt?

Answer 1

The mood of the excerpt is one of melancholy, characterized by the unexpected death of a very young individual and the surrounding circumstances of loss and war-related suffering.

Step-by-step explanation:

The mood of the given excerpt implies a sense of loss and unexpected tragedy. The use of phrases such as 'very young' and 'had died of pneumonia' in combination with the suddenness of the event ('had been sick only a few days') convey not just the finality of death but its surprising nature and its impact on those left behind. The mention of marriage only after the major was 'definitely invalided out of the war' adds a layer of empathy for both the major, whose life has been significantly affected by war, and his young wife, whose life ended prematurely. The predominant mood here is melancholy, amplified by the sense that this is a narrative about somebody who has undergone significant suffering only to endure further loss.

Answer 2

I think the mood of this excerpt is mournful and disbelieving.

Mournful because somebody died and disbelieving because the death was unexpected. She had only been sick a few days and her condition immediately worsened resulting to her death.

It is very ironic that the major, who is more likely to die young because of his career is the one left behind. It is also very sad because the life of the wife was cut short, she was not able to enjoy being married, having kids, and growing old with her husband.