Question

Read the excerpt from "The Masque of the Red Death."

It was then, however, that the Prince Prospero, maddening with rage and the shame of his own momentary cowardice, rushed hurriedly through the six chambers, while none followed him on account of a deadly terror that had seized upon all. He bore aloft a drawn dagger, and had approached, in rapid impetuosity, to within three or four feet of the retreating figure, when the latter, having attained the extremity of the velvet apartment, turned suddenly and confronted his pursuer.
What effect does the tone of the excerpt have on the reader?
A. It fosters a belief that the narrator is unreliable.
B. It produces a contradictory urge to stop reading and to continue.
C. It inspires confidence that everything will work out fine in the end.
D. It encourages surprising delight in blood and gore.

Answer 1

B) It produces a contradictory urge to stop reading and to continue.

Answer 2

Answer: B. It produces a contradictory urge to stop reading and to continue.

Step-by-step explanation: The tone of a sentence or a story is the author's attitude towards the audience, the subject or even the characters of the story. There are many types of tones, for example, negative, positive, happy, sad, angry, etc. In the given excerpt from "The Masque of the Red Death" the tone is suspenseful and fearful, which have the effect on the reader of producing a contradictory urge to stop reading and to continue.