Final answer:
The main theme of 'The Awful Fate of Melpomenus Jones' is the importance of being able to say goodbye, which is delivered through comedic scenarios highlighting the humor of social awkwardness and relates to the genre of Comedy of Manners.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main theme of the passage The Awful Fate of Melpomenus Jones by Stephen Leacock is (C) The importance of being able to say goodbye. This story humorously underscores how Melpomenus Jones' inability to depart from social gatherings leads to increasingly awkward and ridiculous situations. His extreme adherence to social etiquette to the point of absurdity highlights the humor of social awkwardness and also hints at the satirical nature of the narrative, typical of a Comedy of Manners, which often mocks social norms of the aristocracy and can express criticism through humor.