Help? Just one paragraph, don't worry.
excerpt from "The Necklace"
by Guy de Maupassant
Mathilde suffered ceaselessly, feeling herself born to enjoy all delicacies and all luxuries. She was distressed at the poverty of her dwelling, at the bareness of the walls, at the shabby chairs, the ugliness of the curtains. All these things, which another woman of her rank would never even have noticed, tortured her and made her angry. The sight of the little Breton peasant who did her humble housework aroused in her despairing regrets and bewildering dreams. She thought of silent antechambers hung with Oriental tapestry, illumined by tall lamps of bronze, with two tall footmen in knee breeches asleep in the big armchairs, made drowsy by the oppressive heat of the stove. She thought of long reception halls hung with ancient silk, of the dainty cabinets containing priceless curiosities, and of the little coquettish perfumed reception rooms made for chatting at five o'clock with intimate friends, with men famous and sought after, whom all women envy and whose attention they all desire.
Which statement best explains how the first two sentences affect the text?
A) They create tension by comparing the reality of Mathilde’s life with what she wishes her life could be like.
B) They provide background information about the main character so readers can better connect with her and understand her struggles.
C) They generate sadness and pity by showing readers that Mathilde must hide her poverty from her friends in order to be accepted.
D) They create humor by revealing Mathilde’s ability to create an imaginary world, which she prefers over her real life.
