Final answer:
The words used by Wharton in "April Showers" serve to convey the characters' emotional attachment to objects that have personal historical and sentimental value to them.
Step-by-step explanation:
In paragraph 32 of "April Showers," Wharton uses phrases such as "carrying it tenderly ... like a live thing that had been hurt," "soiled edges," and the "ink-stain on Aunt Julia's ribbon" to illustrate the care and emotional attachment the characters have towards physical objects that represent their personal histories and sentiments.
These descriptions provide a vivid image of the objects, imbuing them with emotional significance and poetically emphasizing their value beyond their physical state.
The tender handling suggests a reverence for the past, while the soiled and stained conditions indicate a history of use and perhaps a reflection of the characters' experiences and memories.