PART A: which statement describes the cetral theme of this excerpt from The Trip of Le Horla

the answer is d. beowulf searches for grendel, only to discover that he himself is grendel. this is because of their conflict that stsrted from that celebration which was destroyed by grendel. beowulf wanted a revenge but in his way to defeat grendel, he bacame selfish and a monster just like grendel.

"to cut the cord" means to cease to rely upon someone or to become independent.   i think, perhaps, your question was multiple choice.   if not, i'm not entirely sure what you mean by select two options. hope this at least a little!