How is Jack Worthing's origin finally explained, and what does it imply about his social standing?

• A. He is a fictional character created by the author
• B. He was found as a baby in a handbag at Victoria Station; he is the long-lost child of Lady Bracknell's sister
• C. He was adopted by a wealthy merchant
• D. He is an orphan who grew up in the countryside

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is how Jack Worthing’s unknown origins are meant to be read in the social world Wilde satirizes. Jack finally reveals that he was found as a baby in a handbag at Victoria Station, which makes his background clearly mysterious and raises questions about whether he belongs to respectable society.

The key twist is that this vague origin is resolved by locating his true connection: he is the long-lost child of Lady Bracknell’s sister. That makes him Lady Bracknell’s nephew and, therefore, a legitimate part of the upper-class circle. In practical terms, this turn clears the path for him to be considered a suitable suitor for Gwendolen, showing Wilde’s humor about how social standing hinges on lineage and connections as much as on character.