The capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the action , behavior , opinions , etc ., of others

the correct answer is:

this is an example of the writer telling through description rather than showing through dialogue.

sometimes writers like to explain explicitely what's happening instead of adding dialogues of the situations., which is the case in this passage,

use the headings to create an overview of the main points.

c. to depict the cunningness of the federal soldiers

a) madame podtochina used witchcraft to make it disappear.