Read the following passage from a fictional modernist novel:
"For years, the stained-glass window in the vestibule of the Vance estate had cast a vibrant, crimson glow across the floorboards, depicting a crusader whose shield shone with untarnished pride. To Julian, in his youth, this knight was a silent guardian of the family’s noble destiny. But as the winter wind rattled the loose lead came, the crimson light grew muddied by layers of undisturbed dust, and the knight’s lance appeared fractured by a jagged crack that ran through the blue glass. Looking at it now, Julian no longer saw a sentinel of honor; the knight had become a gaoler, trapping them all within the cold, colored light of a history that refused to let them live in the present."
Which of the following best describes how the symbolic meaning of the stained-glass window develops over the course of the passage?
- It shifts from representing an idealized heritage and protection to symbolizing a restrictive and decaying past.Answer
- BIt consistently serves as an unchanging reminder of Julian’s lifelong commitment to his family's chivalric traditions.
- CIt functions primarily to illustrate the physical deterioration of the Vance estate and the need for structural repair.
- DIt represents the author’s personal belief that historical legacies are inherently superior to modern social values.
- EIt highlights a moral struggle between Julian's inherent goodness and the corrupting influence of his family's wealth.