How often, in her waking hours and in her dreams, had she started in wild horror, and covered her face with her hands as she thought of her lover opening the door on the other side of which waited the cruel fangs of the tiger!
But how much oftener had she seen him at the other door! How in her grievous reveries had she gnashed her teeth, and torn her hair, when she saw his start of rapturous delight as he opened the door of the lady!
—“The Lady, or the Tiger?,”
Frank R. Stockton
What is the purpose for using descriptive language in this passage?
It helps the reader understand the relationship between the man and the princess
It makes the princess’s decision seem more difficult.
It helps the reader picture the arena and what happens there.
It shows the princess hasn’t thought about her options before making her decision.

The descriptive language in this passage vividly describes how the princess feels as she thinks about her lover potentially facing danger behind one of two doors. It helps us understand how torn she is between wanting him to find happiness with another woman and fearing for his safety. This makes the princess's decision seem much harder, both for her and for us as readers.