Question

Amory Blaine inherited from his mother every trait, except the stray
inexpressible few, that made him worthwhile. His father, an ineffectual,
inarticulate man with a taste for Byron and a habit of drowsing over the
Encyclopedia Britannica, grew wealthy at thirty through the death of
two elder brothers, successful Chicago brokers, and in the first flush of
feeling that the world was his, went to Bar Harbor and met Beatrice
O'Hara. In consequence, Stephen Blaine handed down to posterity his
height of just under six feet and his tendency to waver at crucial
moments, these two abstractions appearing in his son Amory. For many
years he hovered in the background of his family's life, an unassertive
figure with a face half-obliterated by lifeless, silky hair, continually
occupied in "taking care" of his wife, continually harassed by the idea
that he didn't and couldn't understand her.
What is the author trying to tell the reader about?

What is the author trying to tell the reader about
Amory's father?
A. Stephen Blaine inherited a lot of money so he is now wealthy.
B. Stephen Blaine married a very intelligent woman
C.Stephen Blaine was a very sweet man when it came to his wife.
D.Stephen Blaine is a lazy imcopetent man

Answer 1

The author is trying to convey that Amory's father, Stephen Blaine, is depicted as an ineffectual and inarticulate man who struggles with understanding his wife and lacks assertiveness. Out of the provided options, the one that best captures this portrayal is:

**D. Stephen Blaine is a lazy incompetent man.**

While the term "lazy" may not be explicitly used in the text, the description of him as ineffectual, drowsy, and continually occupied with "taking care" of his wife without truly understanding her implies a lack of competence and assertiveness.