How did the initial conflict regarding egg breaking escalate?

The correct answer points to an edict that divided the nation, which is pivotal in understanding how the initial conflict over egg breaking escalated. In "Gulliver's Travels," the story illustrates a silly yet critical conflict between two factions: those who break their eggs at the larger end and those who break them at the smaller end. This seemingly trivial disagreement is taken to such extremes that the establishment of a formal edict to enforce one method over the other sparks national division and conflict. Such a decree institutionalizes the dispute, leading to heightened tensions and a serious rift within the society depicted in the book.

The other options highlight elements that could influence conflict management or resolution but do not accurately capture the specific cause of escalation related to the egg-breaking issue. Diplomatic negotiations or the emperor's involvement, while potentially significant, do not directly address the core of the conflict's origin as instigated by the edict. Similarly, violence may have resulted from the conflict but is not the pivotal factor in its initial escalation. Thus, the edict serves as the critical turning point that transforms a personal or informal disagreement into a matter of public and national concern, encapsulating Swift's critique of societal and political absurdities.