Question

Read the following story.

Velda Brigadoon
Sophia’s father had recently ed move his stony-faced and silent Aunt Jane into an assisted living facility. This meant that Sophia and her dad now had to clean out Aunt Jane’s house before the family could sell it.
For hours and hours, Sophia ed her father box up or throw away Aunt Jane’s boring possessions. Beige-colored dishware. Sweaters the color of laundry lint with odd, ugly black stains. Stacks of children’s fantasy books written and illustrated by Velda Brigadoon. Aunt Jane must have had an odd affection for the series, because she seemed to have collected every one of Velda Brigadoon’s works.
“Why don’t you get started cleaning out the attic?” Sophia’s father suggested.
When Sophia opened the door of the attic, her mouth fell open in amazement. It wasn’t an attic. It was an artist’s studio. A drawing table was littered with pencil sketches and bottles of ink. The walls were covered with pen-and-ink drawings of dragons, pirates, and castles. Where had Sophia seen these drawings before? Wait—they were the illustrations in Velda Brigadoon’s books!
Sophia couldn’t believe it. Her great-aunt—who, as far anyone knew, had never picked up a drawing pencil in her life—had written and illustrated a famous fantasy series under a pen name.
“Dad! Dad!” Sophia called. “You have to come see this!”
She picked up a framed photo of Aunt Jane and stared at it. Aunt Jane looked the way she always did, with her lank gray hair and baggy sweaters. But now Sophia noticed a whimsical gleam in her great-aunt’s eyes that she had never noticed before, and she understood why Aunt Jane’s sweaters were always stained with black ink.
Which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story?
A. Artists are usually quirky
B. Children should support their families by ing their parents.
C. There’s a lot more to people than what you see on the surface.
D. Famous and talented people often lead boring private lives.

Answer 1

The primary theme of the story is that there is more depth to individuals than is readily apparent on the surface. This is exemplified by Sophia's discovery of her great-aunt's secret life as a children's book author and illustrator.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main theme or lesson of the story about Sophia and her great-aunt is the realization that people have more depth than their outward appearance or behavior might suggest. The discovery in the attic reveals Aunt Jane's untold story as a talented artist and author, challenging the mundane perception Sophia had of her. This theme is a reflection of a broader understanding that often unfolds in literature, where characters discover unexpected qualities or pasts of others, leading to a richer understanding of their identities and stories.

C. There’s a lot more to people than what you see on the surface

is the best description of the main theme of the story because it encapsulates the surprising discovery made by Sophia that her great aunt, who appeared to be a stony-faced and silent woman, had a secret life as a beloved children's book author and illustrator. Hence, the story emphasizes the lesson that we should look beyond the surface level to truly understand people and their contributions.