Respuesta :
In this excerpt from "The Lady Maid's Bell" by Edith Wharton, a gothic element that reflects a social attitude of Wharton's time is the narrator feeling dismissed by her superiors when she asks questions about an occurrence that may have been supernatural. This reflects a common theme in gothic literature where characters who witness or experience the supernatural are often doubted or dismissed by those around them.
1. The narrator's experience of seeing a mysterious woman in the house and then being told by Agnes that she saw no one, shows how the narrator's perception of the supernatural is undermined and dismissed.
2. The social attitude of Wharton's time, particularly in the context of servants and their interactions with their superiors, reflects a hierarchical structure where the lower classes are expected to conform and not question the beliefs or actions of the upper classes.
3. The element of secrecy and suspicion surrounding the woman seen in the house hints at themes of hidden or forbidden knowledge, which are common in gothic literature to create an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue.
Overall, the narrator's experience of being dismissed when questioning the supernatural occurrence aligns with gothic elements such as skepticism towards the supernatural, social hierarchy, and themes of secrecy and hidden knowledge prevalent in literature of that time.