Francie moves to Phoenix and a cactus grows in her yard.
It emphasizes Usher's sense of terror.Repetitively saying "I dared not" shows his deep discomfort state of mind, whereas the parallel use of simple perfect tense in an interrogative sentence ("said I not") adds to the completely disoriented senses, as Usher can't tell the truth from the troublesome fiction of his own mind.
The answer is the first one.
In "Writers often disavow the notion of a 'literary duty'" the author conveys a somewhat condescending attitude, as if they would always follow this and set aside anyone who said otherwise. This attitude says the author is looking down on them, and that the author believes that many authors do not meet their standards.
Another answer I would consider is "...writers ruined by their shrill commitments." However, there is no context or clear tone. The author could be mournful of the lost potential for all we know.
