Question

Question 5

Read the excerpt: "I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and
deposited all between the scantlings. I then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that
no human eye-not even his-could have detected any thing wrong."
How does the use of the word "scantlings" emphasize the horridness of the narrator's crime?
O It shows the body was made small enough to fit inside the framing of the floor.
O It indicates the narrator felt compelled to murder future victims.
O It shows the narrator planned the murder and made the floor area large enough to hold a body.
O It indicates the narrator believes the murder was not significant.

Answer 1

The word "scantlings" emphasizes the crime's horridness by showing how the body was concealed within the floor and the extent of the narrator's efforts to hide the evidence.

Step-by-step explanation:

The use of the word "scantlings" in the excerpt emphasizes the horridness of the narrator's crime by showing the body was made small enough to fit inside the framing of the floor. This word choice highlights the meticulous planning and the extent to which the narrator went to conceal the evidence, which enhances the gruesomeness and premeditation of the act. The seemingly meticulous replacement of the boards to avoid detection also adds to the sinister nature of the crime.