I watched a movie yesterday.
I believe the correct answer is practices.
The entire paragraph is describing a practice which is quite common for this culture group. The practice is that of a competition where the emperor is present. There are no particular attitudes, values, or goals presented in the excerpt.
A - Not a knocker but Marley's face
This shows that the knocker transformed to the supernatural by becoming not what it was - but the face of his dead co-worker.
C. To send his son back to the cemetery