Final answer:
Edgar Allan Poe likely viewed fear as a force that makes people retreat from reality, as evidenced by the outcomes in 'The Masque of the Red Death' and 'The Fall of the House of Usher'.
Therefore, option D is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Masque of the Red Death," it is likely that the author viewed fear as a powerful force that causes individuals to run away from reality. In the narrative, a prince and his courtiers attempt to isolate themselves from a deadly plague, symbolically trying to escape the inevitable nature of death and disease. This attempt ultimately fails, illustrating that no amount of power or privilege can truly shield one from the realities of life and death. Poe's use of dark and bleak imagery conveys a sense that humanity is at the mercy of forces beyond its control, leading to the conclusion that fear can indeed cause people to retreat into a false sense of security and denial of reality.
Furthermore, the themes of fear and death are prevalent throughout Poe's works, often reflecting his own personal struggles and losses. For example, his desire to be reunited with his deceased mother, as theorized by Marie Bonaparte, is an example of how an author's life experience can profoundly shape their creative expression—revealing the human tendency to find solace in illusion when confronted with fear and loss. "The Fall of the House of Usher" similarly mirrors the idea that people cannot escape the 'grim phantasm, FEAR,' which ultimately leads to the demise of the characters and the collapse of the house itself.
Thus, Poe's probable view on fear is best represented by option d: Fear causes people to run away from reality. This aligns with the overarching themes in his works that suggest characters are often enslaved by their fears, leading them to irrational decisions and a distorted perception of reality.