In the final paragraph, the author mentions paying off her mother’s mortgage primarily to

emphasize how little her mother’s life has changed since she paid the fee described in the first paragraph

emphasize how little her mother’s life has changed since she paid the fee described in the first paragraph
A

imply that the author is more generous to her mother than her mother was to her during the period described in the first paragraph

imply that the author is more generous to her mother than her mother was to her during the period described in the first paragraph
B

show that her mother was justified in paying the fee described in the first paragraph

show that her mother was justified in paying the fee described in the first paragraph
C

illustrate the dramatic change in the author’s circumstances since the payment of the fee described in the first paragraph

illustrate the dramatic change in the author’s circumstances since the payment of the fee described in the first paragraph
D

reveal that her mother’s financial situation has deteriorated since she paid the fee described in the first paragraph

In the first paragraph, the author emphasizes her family’s lack of financial resources by stating that the reading fee was more than a month’s rent. Other information in the passage confirms that the author had little money early in her career. In the final paragraph, the author reveals that her financial circumstances have changed so dramatically that she now has the resources to pay off her mother’s mortgage. By bracketing the passage with narrative details that show this striking change in her circumstances, the author advances her purpose: portraying the importance of her positive obsession to her success as a writer.