The Mule Bone, a 1930 play written by Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes, is perhaps the best-known of the...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The Mule Bone, a 1930 play written by Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes, is perhaps the best-known of the few examples of ______ in literature. Most writers prefer working alone, and given that working together cost Hurston and Hughes their friendship, it is not hard to see why.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
characterization
interpretation
collaboration
commercialization
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'The Mule Bone, a 1930 play written by Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes,' |
|
| 'is perhaps the best-known of the few examples of _______ in literature.' |
|
| 'Most writers prefer working alone,' |
|
| 'and given that working together cost Hurston and Hughes their friendship,' |
|
| 'it is not hard to see why.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The Mule Bone represents a rare and notable example of something uncommon in literature, which makes sense given that the collaborative process damaged the authors' relationship and most writers prefer working independently.
Argument Flow: The passage presents a specific dual-authored play as the best-known example of something rare in literature, then explains why such examples are uncommon by showing that writers generally prefer working alone and providing evidence that collaboration can have negative personal consequences.
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 key clues are:
- The play was written by TWO people working together
- Most writers prefer working ALONE
- Working together actually cost these two authors their friendship
- This explains why such examples are 'few' in literature
- The missing word must describe the concept of multiple authors working together on a single work
- The entire passage is built around the contrast between working together (rare, problematic) versus working alone (preferred, typical)
characterization
Characterization
✗ Incorrect
- Refers to how authors develop personalities and traits of fictional characters
- This doesn't connect to the dual authorship or the contrast between working together vs. alone
interpretation
Interpretation
✗ Incorrect
- Refers to analyzing or explaining the meaning of literary works
- The passage isn't about analyzing literature but about the rarity of co-authored works
collaboration
Collaboration
✓ Correct
- Perfectly captures two authors working together on one play
- Directly contrasts with 'most writers prefer working alone'
- Explains why examples are 'few' - collaboration is difficult and can damage relationships
commercialization
Commercialization
✗ Incorrect
- Refers to making something profitable or market-focused
- Nothing in the passage discusses money, sales, or commercial success