Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions based on the passage:
Gustave Flaubert, in his novel Madame Bovary, exposes the fate of his female protagonist. Emma—The fictional character of Flaubert was constructed around a feminist centre to expose the author's viewpoint on the role and position of French women in nineteenth-century society. Since childhood, Emma had been reading books; she used to develop her intellectual capacity so that, after her marriage, this dimension would not be altered. Emma learned the world from books because she was very constrained by the patriarchal system. She was an orphan, so when she chose her peace of mind by taking refuge in reading novels, she was safer from the unkind world. Due to her unhappy married life, she dreamt of the life she read about in her books. Instead of the traditional, boring routine she was supposed to follow, she wanted more from life. Emma wanted someone she could talk to, and with whom she could share her intellectual knowledge in some way; she wanted to know more, read more and talk more. She was unable to get used to the idea of staying at the same stage; she wanted to change, to develop, to be a better person.
How did Emma's habit of reading books affect her identity?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer: It ensured her intellectual capacity could not be easily altered after marriage.
Explanation
• According to the passage, Emma read books from childhood to develop her intellectual capacity so that this aspect of her identity would not be altered after her marriage.
• The text directly mentions that she used books to preserve her intellectual dimension despite the constraints placed on women by society.