While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Scholar Maria Hendricks analyzed imagery patterns in Toni Morrison's novel...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Scholar Maria Hendricks analyzed imagery patterns in Toni Morrison's novel 'Beloved.'
- Her 2020 examination focused on recurring water symbolism throughout the narrative.
- Hendricks identified seventeen distinct water-related scenes spanning the novel's three sections.
- She argued that water imagery represents both trauma and healing for the characters.
- The analysis revealed how Morrison uses elemental symbolism to explore psychological recovery.
- Hendricks concluded that water functions as a central metaphor for the protagonist's journey toward emotional restoration.
The student wants to present Hendricks's analysis and its insights. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
In her 2020 examination of 'Beloved,' Maria Hendricks analyzed Toni Morrison's use of water imagery throughout the novel.
Scholar Maria Hendricks identified seventeen water-related scenes in Toni Morrison's 'Beloved' during her 2020 research.
A 2020 analysis of imagery patterns in 'Beloved' focused on how Toni Morrison uses elemental symbolism in her narrative.
Maria Hendricks's 2020 analysis reveals that water imagery in 'Beloved' serves as a central metaphor for the protagonist's emotional restoration, representing both trauma and healing.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Scholar Maria Hendricks analyzed imagery patterns in Toni Morrison's novel 'Beloved.'' |
|
| 'Her 2020 examination focused on recurring water symbolism throughout the narrative.' |
|
| 'Hendricks identified seventeen distinct water-related scenes spanning the novel's three sections.' |
|
| 'She argued that water imagery represents both trauma and healing for the characters.' |
|
| 'The analysis revealed how Morrison uses elemental symbolism to explore psychological recovery.' |
|
| 'Hendricks concluded that water functions as a central metaphor for the protagonist's journey toward emotional restoration.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Maria Hendricks's 2020 analysis reveals that water imagery in Morrison's 'Beloved' functions as a central metaphor representing both trauma and healing in the protagonist's journey toward emotional restoration.
Argument Flow: The notes establish Hendricks as a scholar who conducted a systematic 2020 analysis of water symbolism in 'Beloved,' identifying seventeen specific instances across the novel. Her analysis interprets this water imagery as representing both trauma and healing, ultimately concluding that Morrison uses this elemental symbolism as a central metaphor for psychological recovery and the protagonist's emotional restoration.
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
- The correct answer needs to include both components the question asks for:
- (1) The analysis itself: What Hendricks studied (water imagery in 'Beloved')
- (2) The insights: What she discovered or concluded from that analysis
- From our notes, the key insights are that water imagery represents both trauma and healing
- The insights also include that it functions as a central metaphor for the protagonist's emotional restoration journey
In her 2020 examination of 'Beloved,' Maria Hendricks analyzed Toni Morrison's use of water imagery throughout the novel.
✗ Incorrect
- Only mentions that Hendricks analyzed water imagery
- Completely missing the insights component
- Doesn't tell us what she discovered or concluded from her analysis
Scholar Maria Hendricks identified seventeen water-related scenes in Toni Morrison's 'Beloved' during her 2020 research.
✗ Incorrect
- Only mentions the quantitative finding (seventeen scenes)
- Missing the analytical insights about what the water imagery means
A 2020 analysis of imagery patterns in 'Beloved' focused on how Toni Morrison uses elemental symbolism in her narrative.
✗ Incorrect
- Doesn't specifically attribute the work to Hendricks as requested
- Mentions elemental symbolism but lacks the specific insights about water representing trauma/healing
Maria Hendricks's 2020 analysis reveals that water imagery in 'Beloved' serves as a central metaphor for the protagonist's emotional restoration, representing both trauma and healing.
✓ Correct
- Presents both the analysis (water imagery in 'Beloved') and the key insights
- Includes the central conclusion that water serves as a metaphor for emotional restoration
- Captures the dual nature (trauma and healing) that Hendricks identified