Question

in which of the following excerpts from \the yellow wall paper\ does author charlotte perkins gilman seem to mock the romantic belief in the supernatural?
a. a colonial mansion, a hereditary estate, i would say a haunted house, and reach the height of romantic felicity - but that would be asking too much of fate!
b. there is a delicious garden! i never saw such a garden - large and shady, full of box - bordered paths, and lined with long grape - covered arbors with seats under them.
c. the color is repellent, almost revolting, a smoldering unclean yellow, strangely faded by the slow - turning sunlight
d. then i peeled off all the paper i could reach standing on the floor. it sticks horribly and the pattern just enjoys it!

Explanation:

• Option A: The mention of a "haunted house" and the idea that it would be "asking too much of fate" to have such a place (which is a common trope in romantic beliefs about the supernatural) is being mocked. The author is showing that while one might romantically think of a colonial mansion as a haunted house (a supernatural - related idea), it's an over - the - top (and perhaps silly) expectation.
• Option B: Describes a garden. There is no reference to the supernatural or any mocking of romantic beliefs. It's just a description of a physical space.
• Option C: Focuses on the color of the wallpaper. There is no connection to the supernatural or romantic beliefs about it.
• Option D: Talks about peeling off wallpaper and the pattern "enjoying it". This is more about the narrator's deteriorating mental state (if we consider the context of the story) rather than mocking romantic beliefs in the supernatural.

Answer:

A. A colonial mansion, a hereditary estate, I would say a haunted house, and reach the height of romantic felicity—but that would be asking too much of fate!