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 words "decayed", "poverty - stricken", and "half - obliterated" describe a once - noble (as indicated by "shield of arms" and "antique gentility") but now in a state of decline. "Humility" comes from the state of decay and poverty, while "dignity" is from the remnants of the noble past (shield of arms, antique gentility).

Answer:

They portray a former setting with humility and dignity.