Question

Read the excerpt from "The Lady Maid's Bell."

I had been near a week at Brympton before I saw my master. Word came that he was arriving one afternoon, and a change passed over the whole household. It was plain that nobody loved him below stairs. Mrs. Blinder took uncommon care with the dinner that night, but she snapped at the kitchen-maid in a way quite unusual with her; and Mr. Wace, the butler, a serious, slow-spoken man, went about his duties as if he'd been getting ready for a funeral. He was a great Bible-reader, Mr. Wace was, and had a beautiful assortment of texts at his command; but that day he used such dreadful language that I was about to leave the table, when he assured me it was all out of Isaiah; and I noticed that whenever the master came Mr. Wace took to the prophets.

Which best describes a gothic element in the excerpt and the social attitude it reveals?
A. The arrival of Mr. Brympton causes fear, revealing that men are powerful in the world.
B. Mrs. Blinder prepares a dinner well, revealing that cooking is considered the highest art.
C. Mr. Wace reads the Bible, revealing that religion is no longer a respected institution.
D. The servants do not like the master, revealing that having servants is no longer acceptable.

Answer 1

The correct answer would be option A: "The arrival of Mr. Brympton causes fear, revealing that men are powerful in the world." In Gothic literature, it is most common that the author place the atmosphere with mystery and fear which is clearly what he does by saying: "I had been near a week at Brympton before I saw my master" and "It was plain that nobody loved him below stairs". The master creates a feeling of fear in all the characters because of the power he has over their livelihoods and quite possibly their life, which is why everyone is anxious around him.

Option B is incorrect because cooking is not the central idea in the excerpt, neither is religion or the social correctness of having servants or not, therefore, option C and D are also incorrect.

Answer 2

A.) The arrival of Mr.Brympton causes fear,revealing that men are powerful in the world.
This is because after he arrives yes, the slaves hate him. However, the fact that Mr.Wallace reads a bible does not matter because he is more worried that his master is back same with the cook. Therefore, it would be that -this particular- man is very powerful and has direct say over these people