John thinks all their misfortune is because of his.

• A. Wife
• B. Health problems
• C. Drinking
• D. Sin

Answer: (D)

Interpreting hardship through a moral lens is what’s tested here. John’s belief that all their misfortune comes from his sin shows a self-blaming, religious way of making sense of suffering. It highlights how characters in the book sometimes read personal guilt into every setback, rather than blaming external forces.

The other possibilities would point to more tangible, non-moral causes—his wife would shift blame to someone else, health problems to a physical ailment, drinking to a habit. But the line emphasizes a moral cause tied to sin, which is why that option fits best and aligns with the novel’s recurring themes of guilt, morality, and how people interpret hardship.