Diction and figurative language can impact an author's tone and characterization because they can make the story seem more real if everything is working well together, or they can keep the reader from connecting to the work if the choice of words and use of language clashes with the tone the author is trying to convey.
To evoke a sullen response, someone could punish another person.
The answer is C) mother's
The answer would be the last one, leave it as is. B and C change the meaning of the sentence entirely, while A sounds unnatural and is too verbose.
Hope this helps! :)
