This question is incomplete. I looked it up online and found the complete question. It is the following:
Read the excerpt from "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street":
49. CLOSE SHOT - SPOT LIGHT ON PORCH 49.
As it suddenly goes out. There's a murmur from the group. 50. GROUP SHOT 50. As the people react.
GOODMAN: Now I suppose that's supposed to incriminate me! The light goes on and off. That really does it, doesn't it? (he looks around the faces of the people.) I just don't understand this— (he wets his lips, looking from face to face.) Look, you all know me. We've lived here five years. Right in this house. We're no different than any of the rest of you. We're no different at all. Really... this whole thing is just... just weird -
The writer of this excerpt uses:
A. direct characterization to show that Les Goodman is an alien in disguise
B. direct characterization to show that Les Goodman is nervous
C. indirect characterization to show that Les Goodman is an alien in disguise
D. indirect characterization to show that Les Goodman is nervous
Answer:
The author of this excerpt uses:
D. indirect characterization to show that Les Goodman is nervous
Explanation:
"The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" was an episode of the first season of the famous series "The Twilight Zone", written by Rod Serling.
In the excerpt we are analyzing here, the author is using indirect characterization. That means he is showing something through the character's words, gestures, actions, instead of saying it directly. Notice that at no point does the author say, "Goodman is nervous." However, he uses stage directions concerning how the actor is supposed to behave:
<em>(he looks around the faces of the people.)</em>
<em> (he wets his lips, looking from face to face.)</em>
Goodman is indeed nervous. So nervous that his mouth gets dry, so he needs to wet his lips. So nervous that he keeps looking from face to face, worried that his neighbors are actually considering the idea that he might be an alien. Therefore, the best option for our answer is D.
