Final answer:
In the literature excerpts provided, characters confront or reveal realizations about hidden or unnoticed situations, with timelines ranging from one to several months or even years. These realizations are crucial for story progression or character development.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question centers around the theme of realization and the duration of an unawareness or secret in several literature excerpts. In the provided texts, characters discover or disclose information about others' actions or situations that were previously hidden or unnoticed, such as a family member not working or a change that occurred. These moments of realization often serve to advance the plot or develop characterization within the narrative.
For example, in one scenario, a character has known for three months that their father had not been working. Another character learns about distressing patterns in a virtual nursery that has been ongoing for a little over a month. Meanwhile, another piece of dialogue reveals a woman who had been expecting to be married for fourteen years, highlighting her long-held anticipation. These instances reflect a common literary device where recognition or acknowledgment of a truth plays a pivotal role in the story's development.