This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B.
Part A
Read this dictionary entry.
flourish \′flur-ish\ n
an act of brandishing or waving
a decorative or finishing detail
a period of thriving or growth
a sudden burst
Which dictionary meaning most closely matches the meaning of flourish as it is used in paragraph 6?
Answer choices for the above question
definition 1
definition 2
definition 3
definition 4
The closest meaning of flourish as it is used in paragraph 6 would be definition 3: a period of thriving or growth.
Part B
In paragraph 6, the writer says that "The Renaissance was the era in which the novel, as a form, first flourished." What does the writer mean when she says the novel flourished in the Renaissance? Explain your answer.