What is the effect of the use of the word belief in this statement from the selection: "There's a belief that graduated licensing has led to a delay"?

well if you put t like that it could mean like the people have belief that the graduated licensing has led to a delay

so its like more then one person

for example a rumor is going around about this and people believe it and there talking about it and they all believe it its like that

hope i helped

Explanation:

just say it's your friend did it and you had no idea?

as for symbolic actions, the narrator's tearing down the wallpaper in an attempt to find the "woman" in the wallpaper represents her struggle to retain or regain her sanity.   the wallpaper has been part of her confinement and by her tearing it down, she is freeing herself from that confinement.