Question

Read the excerpt from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

The door, which was equipped with neither bell nor knocker, was blistered and distained. Tramps slouched into the recess and struck matches on the panels; children kept shop upon the steps; the schoolboy had tried his knife on the mouldings; and for close on a generation, no one had appeared to drive away these random visitors or to repair their ravages.

In what way is this setting characteristic of gothic fiction?

The building contains a variety of shops.
The doorway is worn and neglected.
The building belongs to a wealthy family.
The doorway is frequently visited.

Answer 1

The doorway is worn and neglected.

(Gothic fiction often uses decay and neglect—blistered, distained surfaces and vandalised mouldings—to create an eerie, foreboding atmosphere.)