Question

So the next night, after midnight, four men crossed Miss Emily's lawn and slunk about the house like burglars, sniffing along the base of the brickwork and at the cellar openings while one of them performed a regular sowing motion with his hand out of a sack slung from his shoulder. They broke open the cellar door and sprinkled lime there, and in all the outbuildings. As they recrossed the lawn, a window that had been dark was lighted and Miss Emily sat in it, the light behind her, and her upright torso motionless as that of an idol. They crept quietly across the lawn and into the shadow of the locusts that lined the street. After a week or two the smell went away. Answer choices for the above question A. The men spread lime around Emily’s house so that they have an excuse to look for Homer Barron. B. The men spread the lime to help Emily cover up the murder of Homer Barron. C. The men spread lime around Emily’s house in order to get rid of the odor of decay. D. The men had been spreading lime to create a bad odor and sabotage Emily’s reputation.

Answer 1

The men spread lime around Miss Emily's house to eliminate the odor of decay. It was a practical action to address a community problem, not to investigate, cover up a crime, or sabotage Emily's reputation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The passage describes men sprinkling lime around Miss Emily's house late at night. The presence of Miss Emily as a motionless figure, observing this action from her window, along with the fact that the smell eventually went away, alludes to the idea that the lime was used to neutralize an unpleasant odor. Considering the context provided by the rest of the story not included here, the most fitting answer to the question would be:

The men spread lime around Emily's house in order to get rid of the odor of decay.

This action is not principally about looking for a missing person or covering up a crime directly, nor is it meant to sabotage Emily's reputation. Rather, it is a practical measure to address a problem concerning the community, which is hinted at by the smell that eventually dissipated.

Answer 2

C. The men spread lime around Emily’s house in order to get rid of the odor of decay.

Step-by-step explanation: