After talking her way into the city room of the New York World, she impressed the editors there enough to leave with a plum assignment: “I was asked by the World if I could have myself committed to one of the asylums for the insane in New York, with a view to writing a plain and unvarnished narrative of the treatment of the patients therein.”

Question

Why might the author have decided to include this quote by Bly?

A. to show that Bly was an earnest reporter and was committed to reporting the truth
B. to show that Bly was unclear about whether she could ever find out the truth of what was going on at the asylum
C. to show that Bly was capable of manipulating others to get what she needed
D. to show that Bly was a more talented reporter than those who worked at the paper

Answer 1

A. to show that Bly was an earnest reporter and was committed to reporting the truth

This option best captures the essence of Bly's mission as described in the quote. Her willingness to undergo such an extreme measure in order to uncover the realities of the treatment of patients in asylums highlights her dedication to journalism and her commitment to revealing the truth about societal issues.