Question

The following question references the house of seven gables by nathaniel hawthorne. how is clifford cleared of any wrongdoing concerning the judge's death?

a. phoebe claims to be the only one home when the judge died
b. the railway tickets prove that clifford was not home when the judge died
c. holgrave claims a "mesmerical seer" has shown the truth about his death
d. hepzibah creates and tells a story of how the judge died

Answer 1

Clifford is cleared of any wrongdoing in the death of Judge Pyncheon due to natural circumstances and a lack of evidence or motive, not by the actions of other characters creating alibis.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The House of Seven Gables, Clifford is cleared of any wrongdoing concerning the Judge's death not by any specific action of the other characters, but rather by the natural circumstances surrounding the event.

The question seems to mix the story with elements that are not part of its plot. To give the student more words and ensure a clear understanding, it's important to clarify that in the novel, Judge Pyncheon dies of natural causes while alone in the house, and Clifford, being weak and feeble, could not have possibly inflicted any harm.

No false stories or alibis are employed to clear Clifford; the mere absence of evidence or motive suffices. Events unfold in such a way that the truth comes out organically, exonerating Clifford without the need for direct intervention by the other characters in the story.