“Do you know many of the people round here?” asked the niece, when she judged that they had had sufficient silent communion. “Hardly a soul,” said Framton. “My sister was staying here, at the rectory, you know, some four years ago, and she gave me letters of introduction to some of the people here.” He made the last statement in a tone of distinct regret. “Then you know practically nothing about my aunt?” pursued the self-possessed young lady. “Only her name and address,” admitted the caller. He was wondering whether Mrs. Sappleton was in the married or widowed state. An undefinable something about the room seemed to suggest masculine habitation. “Her great tragedy happened just three years ago,” said the child; “that would be since your sister’s time.” “Her tragedy?” asked Framton; somehow in this restful country spot tragedies seemed out of place.

Question

Use the excerpt from H. H. Munro’s story “The Open Window” to answer the question. What does the underlined sentence in the excerpt suggest about Framton’s character?

A. It suggests that Framton is slightly self-conscious about his shyness.
B. It suggests that Framton lacks courage in new situations.
C. It suggests that Framton is unfamiliar with his surroundings.
D. It tells how Framton could be easily irritated by others.

Answer 1

The underlined sentence, “He was wondering whether Mrs. Sappleton was in the married or widowed state,” suggests that Framton is unfamiliar with his surroundings. He doesn’t know much about Mrs. Sappleton and is curious about her status, indicating that he is not fully aware of the social context or relationships in the area. Therefore, the best answer is:

C. It suggests that Framton is unfamiliar with his surroundings.