Which work concerns a quest for a precious gem?

Which work concerns a quest for a precious gem?

• A. The Unerring Instinct
• B. The Open Boat
• C. The Great Carbuncle
• D. Moby Dick

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is recognizing a plot driven by a pursuit of a precious gem. The Great Carbuncle is a Nathaniel Hawthorne short story built around a legendary jewel that attracts a group of diverse seekers, each chasing the gem through a series of tests. The tension and action come from their efforts to obtain the carbuncle, and the tale uses this quest to explore different human motives—greed, curiosity, faith, and humility—along with what people truly value. The other works focus on very different struggles: one centers on survival at sea, another on a captain’s obsession with a whale, and the remaining tale explores a different theme altogether, not a gem hunt. So, The Great Carbuncle is the work that concerns a quest for a precious gem.

The key idea here is recognizing a plot driven by a pursuit of a precious gem. The Great Carbuncle is a Nathaniel Hawthorne short story built around a legendary jewel that attracts a group of diverse seekers, each chasing the gem through a series of tests. The tension and action come from their efforts to obtain the carbuncle, and the tale uses this quest to explore different human motives—greed, curiosity, faith, and humility—along with what people truly value. The other works focus on very different struggles: one centers on survival at sea, another on a captain’s obsession with a whale, and the remaining tale explores a different theme altogether, not a gem hunt. So, The Great Carbuncle is the work that concerns a quest for a precious gem.