Question

read this excerpt from chapter 2 of the scarlet letter. standing on that miserable eminence, she saw again her native village, in old england, and her paternal home; a decayed house of gray stone, with a poverty - stricken aspect, but retaining a half - obliterated shield of arms over the portal, in token of antique gentility. what is the effect of the underlined words in this excerpt? they impart a frustrated mood. they impart a sympathetic mood. they portray a former setting with humility and dignity. they portray a former setting with judgment and distaste.

Explanation:

The description of the "decayed" yet still - retaining a "half - obliterated shield of arms" house shows a mix of decline and remnants of past nobility, suggesting humility and dignity in the former setting.

Answer:

They portray a former setting with humility and dignity