Read the excerpt from a short story. They had laughed at the shabbiness of the hotel. “Oh well,” they’d said, “we aren’t going to spend any time inside.” And they had not. They’d spent the day and evening sightseeing and had not retreated to their rooms until they were spent. Now Ana appraised her modest accommodations, remembering how the window in her room had amused her friends, as it offered a view of a brick wall not six inches away. “You get what you pay for!” they’d exclaimed, closing the heavy curtains. The window captured Ana’s attention again. As she readied for bed, she heard a persistent tapping coming from outside. Ana reasoned with herself, reminded herself that only small bird or bug in distress could fit in such a space. The tapping suggested otherwise, and she turned to investigate. How does the excerpt exemplify the ideas King describes in "Danse Macabre"?
Answer
A
It forces readers to “grapple” with their own mortality.
B
It excites readers with the concept of “magic.”
C
It provides a “single powerful spectacle” for the imagination’s eye.
D
It allows readers to approach a “forbidden door.”
Explanation
The excerpt draws Ana—and the reader—toward something unknown and unsettling beyond the window. The tapping contradicts her reassuring thought that only a small bird or bug could fit, creating suspense as she turns to investigate. This exemplifies the idea of approaching a “forbidden door”: the story invites us to look toward what is frightening or unexplained.
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