Question

read the excerpt from act 3 of a dolls house.
mrs. linde looking at her watch: not yet—and the
time is nearly up. if only he does not—. listens
again. ah, there he is. goes into the hall and opens
the outer door carefully. light footsteps are heard on
the stairs. she whispers. come in. there is no one
here.

krogstad in the doorway: i found a note from you at
home. what does this mean?

mrs. linde: it is absolutely necessary that i should
have a talk with you.

krogstad: really? and is it absolutely necessary that it
should be here?

mrs. linde: it is impossible where i live; there is no
private entrance to my rooms. come in; we are quite
alone. the maid is asleep, and the helmers are at the
which statement best explains how the conventions
of plot and setting contribute to the theme?
○ the use of letters and secret meetings develops
the theme that hiding the truth will eventually lead
to hardship.
○ the use of questions develops the theme that the
truth can be discovered only by asking the right
questions.
○ the use of doorways develops the theme that
being too open about the truth can cause conflict
and heartache.
○ the use of conversations beginning abruptly
develops the theme that getting to the point will
always reveal the truth.

Explanation:

The excerpt shows a secret meeting between Mrs. Linde and Krogstad, arranged privately away from others. This aligns with the convention of secret meetings, which ties to the theme of hidden truths leading to hardship—their interaction centers on a concealed secret (the loan/forgery from the play's plot) that is causing tension and potential hardship. The other options do not fit: questions are not the core plot/setting convention here, doorways are a minor detail not tied to the theme, and abrupt conversations do not link to the play's central theme of hidden truths.

Answer:

The use of letters and secret meetings develops the theme that hiding the truth will eventually lead to hardship.