He compared Ernest with the other boys to show what makes a child loving and helpful, as shown in option A. This can be confirmed by the following passage:
"He spent his childhood in the log cottage where he was born and was dutiful to his mother and helpful to her in many things assisting her much with his little hands and more with his loving heart (option C.)."
We can arrive at this answer because:
This made Ernest different from the other boys and transformed him into someone more empathic and with a great capacity for reflection. Something that is not so common in people his age. This behavior makes Ernest a complex character with different layers.
That question is from the book "The Great Stone Face."
More information about what is a complex character at the link:
https://brainly.com/question/14304896