Question

For it needs little skill in psychology to be sure that a highly gifted girl who had tried to use her gift for poetry would have been so thwarted and hindered by other people, so tortured and pulled asunder by her own contrary instincts, that she must have lost her health and sanity to a certainty.

–A Room of One’s Own,
Virginia Woolf

Which statement best explains how word choice supports the author’s perspective?

The irony of the phrase contrary instincts supports the author’s perspective.
Repetition reinforces the perspective that women have a variety of life choices.
The negative connotations of thwarted and pulled asunder reinforce the idea that women face discrimination.
The connotation of the word gifted supports the author’s perspective that women have greater skills than men.

Answer 1

The negative connotations of thwarted and pulled asunder reinforce the idea that women face discrimination. These harsh verbs emphasize external oppression and inner torment, supporting Woolf’s perspective that women are prevented from using their talents.