What effect does the frame narrative of an older Gene have on the reader's interpretation?

• A. It provides a purely present-tense narration.
• B. It presents an entirely objective account.
• C. It invites retrospective interpretation, shaping memory and moral judgment.
• D. It confuses readers with inconsistent storytelling.

Answer: (C)

The frame narrative uses an older Gene looking back on his school days, and that distance changes how we read everything. Because the events are recounted with the benefit of hindsight, memory here is partial, colored by guilt, later reflection, and a developed sense of moral judgment. Readers aren’t getting a simple, unfiltered retelling; they’re getting a memory shaped by what Gene has learned since those days. That means we’re invited to interpret motives, consequences, and even what actually happened through his adult perspective, which can shift our sense of responsibility and empathy as we weigh the past. In short, the frame encourages retrospective interpretation and makes memory itself a central part of how we understand the story.