Select the correct answer.
What do the underlined sentences in this excerpt from William Dean Howells's "Editha" reveal about the speaker?
"I don't want you to feel foolishly bound to my memory. I should hate that, wherever I happened to be."
"I am yours, for time and eternity—time and eternity." She liked the words; they satisfied her famine for phrases.
"Well, say eternity; that's all right; but time's another thing; and I'm talking about time. But there is something! My mother! If anything happens--"
A.
She speaks without feeling.
B.
She does not know the language.
C.
She is a liar.
D.
She is incapable of expressing her feelings.
E.
She is outspoken and direct.
E. She is outspoken and direct.
The correct answer is D. She is incapable of expressing her feelings.
To determine what the underlined sentences reveal about the speaker, we need to analyze the context and the language used in those sentences. Let's break down each underlined sentence:
1. "I should hate that, wherever I happened to be." - This sentence suggests that the speaker does not want the person they are addressing to feel obligated to remember them. It implies a desire for freedom rather than being tied down to a memory.
2. "I am yours, for time and eternity—time and eternity." - This sentence shows that the speaker is expressing their commitment and devotion to the person they are addressing. The choice of the phrase "for time and eternity" conveys a deep level of dedication.
3. "But there is something! My mother! If anything happens--" - This sentence highlights that the speaker is concerned about their mother and emphasizes their worry about any potential harm or negative outcome.
Based on the analysis, the answer that best aligns with the revealed characteristics is:
E. She is outspoken and direct.
The speaker expresses their desires, commitments, and concerns openly and directly, without hesitation or ambiguity.