While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:The Harlem Renaissance emerged in the 1920s as a major...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- The Harlem Renaissance emerged in the 1920s as a major cultural movement in American literature and arts.
- Writers of the movement can be broadly categorized into two main stylistic approaches.
- Authors like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston embraced vernacular traditions, incorporating jazz rhythms and folk speech into their work.
- Writers such as Countee Cullen and Claude McKay followed classical literary forms, emphasizing traditional poetic structures and formal language.
- Both approaches contributed significantly to the movement's lasting influence on American culture.
- The stylistic diversity within the movement reflected broader debates about African American cultural expression.
The student wants to emphasize the different stylistic approaches taken by Harlem Renaissance writers. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Among Harlem Renaissance writers, authors like Hughes and Hurston embraced vernacular traditions with jazz rhythms and folk speech, whereas writers such as Cullen and McKay followed classical forms with traditional structures and formal language.
Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston were among the Harlem Renaissance writers who incorporated jazz rhythms and folk speech into their work.
The Harlem Renaissance featured writers like Countee Cullen and Claude McKay, who emphasized traditional poetic structures in their work.
Both vernacular and classical approaches contributed significantly to the Harlem Renaissance movement's lasting influence on American culture.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| The Harlem Renaissance emerged in the 1920s as a major cultural movement in American literature and arts. |
|
| Writers of the movement can be broadly categorized into two main stylistic approaches. |
|
| Authors like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston embraced vernacular traditions, incorporating jazz rhythms and folk speech into their work. |
|
| Writers such as Countee Cullen and Claude McKay followed classical literary forms, emphasizing traditional poetic structures and formal language. |
|
| Both approaches contributed significantly to the movement's lasting influence on American culture. |
|
| The stylistic diversity within the movement reflected broader debates about African American cultural expression. |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Harlem Renaissance writers can be categorized into two distinct stylistic approaches—vernacular traditions versus classical literary forms—both of which significantly contributed to the movement's cultural impact.
Argument Flow: The notes begin by establishing the Harlem Renaissance as a major 1920s cultural movement, then introduce the key organizing concept of two stylistic approaches. We get specific examples of each approach with concrete details about their techniques, followed by an evaluation that both were significant, and finally a broader context connecting these stylistic differences to larger cultural debates.
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 must clearly present both stylistic approaches in a way that emphasizes their differences
- It should include specific examples from the notes and concrete details about what made each approach distinctive
- The answer should use contrasting language to highlight the difference rather than just listing both approaches separately
Among Harlem Renaissance writers, authors like Hughes and Hurston embraced vernacular traditions with jazz rhythms and folk speech, whereas writers such as Cullen and McKay followed classical forms with traditional structures and formal language.
✓ Correct
- Presents both approaches with specific examples
- Uses 'whereas' to create direct contrast
- Includes concrete details about techniques
Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston were among the Harlem Renaissance writers who incorporated jazz rhythms and folk speech into their work.
✗ Incorrect
- Only discusses the vernacular approach
- Completely ignores the classical approach
The Harlem Renaissance featured writers like Countee Cullen and Claude McKay, who emphasized traditional poetic structures in their work.
✗ Incorrect
- Only discusses the classical approach
- Completely ignores the vernacular approach
Both vernacular and classical approaches contributed significantly to the Harlem Renaissance movement's lasting influence on American culture.
✗ Incorrect
- Mentions both approaches but focuses on their shared significance rather than their differences