Although Fiction Writers Toward the End of the Nineteenth Century

Although fiction writers toward the end of the nineteenth century did not dramatically depart from the earlier style, why did several provoke controversy?

A) Many were seen as communist sympathizers.
B) They wrote sentimental literature, which was highly unusual for the time.
C) Their unflinching descriptions of the negative aspects of bourgeois society, especially its sexual hypocrisy, enraged critics.
D) Because literacy rates rose dramatically in the late nineteenth century, more commentary and critique naturally followed.
E) Late-nineteenth-century writers focused more on female characters, which did not appeal to popular audiences.