“I’ve been washing dishes since I was six years old, when my mother assigned me that task so that she could enjoy her postprandial cigarette in a timely fashion . . . .”

What effect does the underlined word have on the sentence above?
A.
It makes the writer appear smarter.
B.
It makes the writer appear ethical as a researcher.
C.
It helps to show the writer from a subservient position.
D.
It adds an element of humor to a serious subject.
E.
It sets a tone of seriousness.