What is the penalty if the obligation is violated?

• A. A public whipping and exile.
• B. A fine of ten dollars and three days in the stocks.
• C. Throat cut from ear to ear, tongue torn out by its roots, and body buried in the rough sands of the sea, a cable's length from shore, where the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty four hours.
• D. A solemn admonition.

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is the exact wording of the penalty described in the Entered Apprentice obligation. In the traditional oath, the penalty for violating the obligation is stated in a stark, graphic way to emphasize how seriously one must uphold the vow. The line about the throat being cut from ear to ear, the tongue torn out by its roots, and the body buried in the rough sands of the sea is the specific language used in that oath. That is why this option fits best—it matches the deliberate phrasing of the obligation itself.

The other options reflect milder or modern forms of correction that aren’t part of the oath’s specified penalty, so they don’t align with the traditional wording of the penalty described. It’s also worth noting that today the penalties cited in the oath are symbolic and not actually enacted; the character of the line is to convey the gravity of breaking the pledge.