Read this excerpt from The Life of Charlotte Brontë by Elizabeth Gaskell:

For a right understanding of the life of my dear friend, Charlotte Brontë, it appears to me more necessary in her case than in most others, that the reader should be made acquainted with the peculiar forms of population and society amidst which her earliest years were passed, and from which both her own and her sisters’ first impressions of human life must have been received. I shall endeavour, therefore, before proceeding further with my work, to present some idea of the character of the people of Haworth, and the surrounding districts.

Which statement best conveys the central idea of the excerpt?

A.
Charlotte Brontë was a dear friend to the author and lived a fascinating life.
B.
The people of Haworth and the surrounding districts were all interested in arts and literature.
C.
To understand Charlotte Brontë, one needs to understand the society in which she grew up.
D.
The people who lived near and inspired the writer Charlotte Brontë were all unique and intriguing.

The author was indeed a friend of Charlotte Bronte, but she is at the same time convinced that part of understanding who she was and what her life was like, it is important to know what influenced her.

According to the author, the people, the place, and the society in which Charlotte lived had a great impact on her. As such, the author states that she will proceed to describe the people of Charlotte's hometown.