Answer :
Final answer:
The gothic element in the text reflects a social attitude of dismissal towards questioning the supernatural.
Explanation:
The gothic element in the excerpt from the text reflects a social attitude of Wharton's time through:
- The narrator feeling dismissed by her superiors when she asks questions about a potentially supernatural occurrence, mirroring societal hierarchy and the belief in dismissing the unexplained.
In Wharton's writing, this element serves to highlight the societal norms of the time, where questioning authority or beliefs was often met with dismissal or disbelief.
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