Text 1For decades, literary scholars have interpreted early 20th-century modernist poetry through the lens of historical trauma, viewing works by...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
For decades, literary scholars have interpreted early 20th-century modernist poetry through the lens of historical trauma, viewing works by poets like T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound as direct responses to World War I's cultural devastation. This approach emphasizes how the fragmentation and despair evident in modernist techniques reflected the broader social disillusionment of the post-war period.
Text 2
Literary theorist Michael North contends that this trauma-centered reading, while compelling, obscures modernism's more complex origins. North's research reveals that many defining modernist innovations—including fragmented narrative structures and experimental language—emerged in the decade before 1914, suggesting that modernist aesthetics developed from artistic experimentation rather than historical catastrophe.
Based on the texts, how would North (Text 2) most likely respond to the trauma-centered interpretation presented in Text 1?
By accepting that World War I influenced modernist poetry while arguing that artistic innovation was equally important
By agreeing that social disillusionment shaped modernist techniques but questioning the timeline of this influence
By acknowledging the significance of historical trauma while emphasizing the role of experimental language in poetry
By questioning whether historical events were the primary catalyst for modernist literary innovations
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "For decades, literary scholars have interpreted early 20th-century modernist poetry through the lens of historical trauma, viewing works by poets like T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound as direct responses to World War I's cultural devastation." |
|
| "This approach emphasizes how the fragmentation and despair evident in modernist techniques reflected the broader social disillusionment of the post-war period." |
|
| "Literary theorist Michael North contends that this trauma-centered reading, while compelling, obscures modernism's more complex origins." |
|
| "North's research reveals that many defining modernist innovations—including fragmented narrative structures and experimental language—emerged in the decade before 1914, suggesting that modernist aesthetics developed from artistic experimentation rather than historical catastrophe." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: There's a scholarly debate about whether modernist poetry innovations were primarily caused by WWI trauma or by pre-existing artistic experimentation.
Argument Flow: The passage presents two competing interpretations of modernist poetry's origins. First, we see the traditional trauma-centered view that connects modernist techniques to WWI's aftermath. Then North challenges this by arguing that the timing doesn't work—since many modernist innovations appeared before the war even happened, they must have come from artistic experimentation rather than historical trauma.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Based on our analysis, North would respond to the trauma-centered interpretation by challenging its core premise
- His response would focus on:
- Timing evidence: His research shows modernist innovations emerged before 1914, before WWI happened
- Alternative causation: He believes artistic experimentation, not historical trauma, drove these innovations
- Direct challenge: He'd question whether historical events were actually the main cause
- So the right answer should show North questioning or challenging the idea that historical trauma was the primary driver of modernist innovations, based on his timing evidence
By accepting that World War I influenced modernist poetry while arguing that artistic innovation was equally important
- This suggests North would accept WWI's influence while just adding artistic innovation as equally important
- But North's argument is stronger—he's challenging whether WWI was a factor at all
By agreeing that social disillusionment shaped modernist techniques but questioning the timeline of this influence
- This suggests North agrees that social disillusionment shaped the techniques but questions when this happened
- North's argument goes deeper—he's arguing that artistic experimentation was the real cause
By acknowledging the significance of historical trauma while emphasizing the role of experimental language in poetry
- This suggests North acknowledges trauma's significance while emphasizing experimental language
- North's position is more radical—he's arguing that artistic experimentation was the actual cause
By questioning whether historical events were the primary catalyst for modernist literary innovations
- This captures exactly what North is doing—questioning whether historical events were the primary catalyst
- Matches our analysis: North uses timing evidence to argue that historical catastrophe wasn't the main cause