Text 1Like the work of Ralph Ellison before her, Toni Morrison's novels feature scenes in which characters deliver sermons of...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Like the work of Ralph Ellison before her, Toni Morrison's novels feature scenes in which characters deliver sermons of such length and verbal dexterity that for a time, the text exchanges the formal parameters of fiction for those of oral literature. Given the many other echoes of Ellison in Morrison's novels, both in structure and prose style, these scenes suggest Ellison's direct influence on Morrison.
Text 2
In their destabilizing effect on literary form, the sermons in Morrison's works recall those in Ellison's. Yet literature by Black Americans abounds in moments where interpolated speech erodes the division between oral and written forms that literature in English has traditionally observed. Morrison's use of the sermon is attributable not only to the influence of Ellison but also to a community-wide strategy of resistance to externally imposed literary conventions.
Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely characterize the underlined claim in Text 1?
As failing to consider Ellison's and Morrison's equivalent uses of the sermon within the wider cultural context in which they wrote
As misunderstanding the function of sermons in novels by Black American writers other than Ellison and Morrison
As disregarding points of structural and stylistic divergence between the works of Ellison and those of Morrison
As being indebted to the tradition of resisting literary conventions that privilege written forms, such as novels, over sermons and other oral forms
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Text 1: "Like the work of Ralph Ellison before her, Toni Morrison's novels feature scenes in which characters deliver sermons of such length and verbal dexterity that for a time, the text exchanges the formal parameters of fiction for those of oral literature." |
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| "Given the many other echoes of Ellison in Morrison's novels, both in structure and prose style, these scenes suggest Ellison's direct influence on Morrison." |
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| Text 2: "In their destabilizing effect on literary form, the sermons in Morrison's works recall those in Ellison's." |
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| "Yet literature by Black Americans abounds in moments where interpolated speech erodes the division between oral and written forms that literature in English has traditionally observed." |
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| "Morrison's use of the sermon is attributable not only to the influence of Ellison but also to a community-wide strategy of resistance to externally imposed literary conventions." |
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Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Text 1 argues that Morrison's sermon technique shows Ellison's direct influence, while Text 2 argues this technique reflects a broader community strategy of literary resistance that goes beyond individual influence.
Argument Flow: Text 1 uses specific similarities between Morrison and Ellison to argue for direct influence. Text 2 accepts the similarity but recontextualizes it within a wider pattern among Black American writers, suggesting the technique serves a communal purpose of resisting traditional literary conventions rather than simply reflecting one author's influence on another.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? How would the author of Text 2 characterize the underlined claim from Text 1 (that Morrison's sermon scenes suggest Ellison's direct influence)?
What type of answer do we need? We need to understand Text 2's perspective on Text 1's reasoning - essentially, what would Text 2's author say is the problem or limitation with Text 1's claim?
Any limiting keywords? We're focused specifically on the underlined claim about "Ellison's direct influence on Morrison," and we need Text 2's viewpoint on this claim.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Text 2's author doesn't completely disagree with Text 1 - she acknowledges the similarities between Morrison's and Ellison's techniques
- However, Text 2 argues that focusing only on Ellison's influence misses the bigger picture
- The author points out that many Black American writers use similar techniques as part of a "community-wide strategy of resistance to externally imposed literary conventions"
- From Text 2's perspective, Text 1's claim is too narrow because it only looks at the individual relationship between two authors without considering the broader cultural and literary context in which both authors were writing
- So the right answer should indicate that Text 1's claim fails to account for the wider cultural context or community tradition that both Morrison and Ellison were part of
As failing to consider Ellison's and Morrison's equivalent uses of the sermon within the wider cultural context in which they wrote
- This perfectly captures Text 2's critique - that Text 1 focuses on individual influence without considering the "wider cultural context"
- Text 2 specifically argues that Morrison's technique reflects a "community-wide strategy," which is exactly the broader context Text 1 allegedly ignores
- Matches our prethinking about Text 1 being too narrow in scope
As misunderstanding the function of sermons in novels by Black American writers other than Ellison and Morrison
- Text 2 doesn't suggest that Text 1 misunderstands the function of sermons in other writers' works
- Text 2's point isn't about misunderstanding function, but about failing to recognize the broader pattern
- Students might choose this because Text 2 mentions "literature by Black Americans," but the issue isn't misunderstanding function - it's missing context
As disregarding points of structural and stylistic divergence between the works of Ellison and those of Morrison
- Text 2 actually acknowledges similarities between Morrison and Ellison, not divergences
- The critique isn't about ignoring differences between the authors, but about missing the community context
- This goes against what Text 2 actually says about their comparable techniques
As being indebted to the tradition of resisting literary conventions that privilege written forms, such as novels, over sermons and other oral forms
- This suggests Text 1's claim is "indebted to" the resistance tradition, but Text 2's point is that Text 1 fails to recognize this tradition
- Text 2 argues that Text 1 doesn't account for the community-wide strategy, not that it's based on it