Mr. Hyde was pale and dwarfish, he gave an impression of deformity without any nameable malformation, he had a displeasing smile, he had borne himself to the lawyer with a sort of murderous mixture of timidity and boldness, and he spoke with a husky, whispering and somewhat broken voice; all these were points against him, but not all of these together could explain the hitherto unknown disgust, loathing and fear with which Mr. Utterson regarded him. “There must be something else,” said the perplexed gentleman. “There is something more, if I could find a name for it. God bless me, the man seems hardly human!”


–The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,

Robert Louis Stevenson


Which statement best explains the relationship between the gothic genre and the characterization in the passage?


(A)The characterization of Mr. Hyde contrasts with the gloomy setting that is typical of gothic fiction.

(B)The characterization of Mr. Hyde reflects the preoccupation with confined spaces in gothic fiction.

(C)The characterization of Mr. Hyde helps create the cheerful mood that is typical of gothic fiction.

(D)The characterization of Mr. Hyde reflects the focus on horror and strong emotions in gothic fiction.

Answer D