Question

Which plot element does this passage reflect?

1. "Maître Hauchecorne," said he, "this morning on the Benzeville road, you were seen picking up the pocketbook lost by Maître Houlbreque, of Manneville."
2. The countryman looked at the mayor in amazement, frightened already at this
3. suspicion which rested on him, he knew not why.
4. Exposition, because it shows the setting and basic situation.
5. Complicating Incident, because it shows the early event that signals the
beginning of the rising action
6. Falling Action, because it shows the events that happen after the conflict is resolved.

Answer 1

The passage is an example of a Complicating Incident, which signals the start of the rising action and introduces the main conflict of the story.

The correct answer is 5).

Step-by-step explanation:

The plot element reflected in the passage 'Maître Hauchecorne, said he, this morning on the Benzeville road, you were seen picking up the pocketbook lost by Maître Houlbreque, of Manneville.' is the Complicating Incident, because it introduces the central conflict that the main character will face throughout the story.

This passage indicates the beginning of the rising action, where the tension regarding the main conflict starts building up. It is not the exposition because it does not merely set the scene but rather introduces a specific event that triggers the conflict.