read this excerpt from chapter 1 of the scarl...
read this excerpt from chapter 1 of the scarlet letter. a throng of bearded men, in sad - colored garments and gray, steeple - crowned hats, intermixed with women, some wearing hoods, and others bareheaded, was assembled in front of a wooden edifice, the door of which was heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron spikes. which best describes the effect of the words “sad - colored,” “steeple - crowned,” and “iron spikes”? they establish the mournful mood. they establish the hostile mood. they establish the austere puritan setting. they establish the spiritual puritan setting.
Answer
# Brief Explanations:
The words "sad - colored" suggest a somber and plain appearance typical of Puritan dress. "Steeple - crowned" refers to a hat style associated with Puritans, and "iron spikes" on the building add to the austere and strict feel of a Puritan setting. They don't primarily convey a mournful or hostile mood, nor a spiritual one as much as an austere one.
# Answer:
They establish the austere Puritan setting.