What effect did the father's punishment create in Kezia's mind?

Correct answer: Her fear of her father became deeper

Kezia already felt nervous and afraid of her strict father because she found him difficult to approach. When she accidentally tore important papers and used them to fill a pincushion, her father punished her by hitting her hands with a ruler. The punishment did not help her understand his affection or explain his feelings; instead, it confirmed her impression that he was harsh and frightening. Her fear therefore became deeper, even though the reader later learns that he cares for her.

Option B is correct because it describes the immediate emotional effect of the punishment. Option A is wrong: Kezia did not suddenly see her father as a friend. The punishment was not connected with the Macdonald family, so option C does not follow. Nor did it make her distant from Grandmother, making option D unsuitable. The episode shows that punishment without understanding can increase a child’s fear and misunderstanding rather than create closeness.