Question

9. Which excerpt from the story illustrates the mood of paranoia? A. "It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain." B. "I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult." C. "Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God!-no, no! They heard!-They suspected!--They knew!" D. "I smiled, - for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome."

Answer 1

The excerpt that illustrates the mood of paranoia is C.

Step-by-step explanation:

"Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God!-no, no! They heard!-They suspected!--They knew!" This excerpt conveys a sense of fear, anxiety, and paranoia as the narrator becomes increasingly convinced that others are aware of his actions or intentions. The use of exclamation marks and repetition emphasizes the heightened state of paranoia and the narrator's desperate denial of the situation.