While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:The Ramayana is a Sanskrit epic poem from ancient India.In...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- The Ramayana is a Sanskrit epic poem from ancient India.
- In The Ramayana, the character Kaikeyi is often portrayed as a villain.
- Kaikeyi is a 2022 novel by Vaishnavi Patel.
- The novel is a retelling of the epic poem from Kaikeyi's point of view.
- It often portrays Kaikeyi as heroic.
The student wants to emphasize whose point of view the novel is told from. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
From the point of view of The Ramayana, the character Kaikeyi is often a villain.
Vaishnavi Patel often portrays the character as heroic.
Kaikeyi is a retelling of The Ramayana from the character Kaikeyi's point of view.
The Ramayana is an epic poem that features the character Kaikeyi.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The Ramayana is a Sanskrit epic poem from ancient India." |
|
| "In The Ramayana, the character Kaikeyi is often portrayed as a villain." |
|
| "Kaikeyi is a 2022 novel by Vaishnavi Patel." |
|
| "The novel is a retelling of the epic poem from Kaikeyi's point of view." |
|
| "It often portrays Kaikeyi as heroic." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: A 2022 novel reimagines the ancient epic The Ramayana by telling the story from the previously villainized character Kaikeyi's perspective, portraying her as heroic instead.
Argument Flow: The notes establish the traditional source (ancient epic where Kaikeyi is a villain), then introduce the modern adaptation (2022 novel), and finally explain how this retelling shifts both perspective (Kaikeyi's POV) and characterization (heroic instead of villainous).
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? We need to find the choice that most effectively emphasizes whose point of view the novel uses.
What type of answer do we need? A sentence that clearly highlights the narrative perspective of Patel's novel.
Any limiting keywords? "Emphasize" tells us the answer should make the POV element prominent, and "whose point of view" specifically focuses on the narrator/perspective.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The correct choice needs to clearly state that the novel is told from Kaikeyi's perspective
- Since the goal is to emphasize whose POV is used, we need language that directly mentions "point of view" or "perspective" and identifies Kaikeyi as the narrator/viewpoint character
- The answer should connect the novel to this specific narrative choice rather than just mentioning other details about the work
From the point of view of The Ramayana, the character Kaikeyi is often a villain.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on the original epic's perspective, not the novel's POV
- Says "from the point of view of The Ramayana" - this is about how the original epic sees Kaikeyi
- Doesn't mention whose POV the new novel uses
Vaishnavi Patel often portrays the character as heroic.
✗ Incorrect
- Mentions how Patel portrays Kaikeyi but says nothing about narrative perspective
- Completely misses the "point of view" element the question asks for
Kaikeyi is a retelling of The Ramayana from the character Kaikeyi's point of view.
✓ Correct
- Directly states "from the character Kaikeyi's point of view"
- Clearly identifies whose perspective the novel uses
- Perfect match for the goal of emphasizing the narrative POV
The Ramayana is an epic poem that features the character Kaikeyi.
✗ Incorrect
- Only describes the original epic, not the novel
- Says nothing about point of view or narrative perspective
- Doesn't mention Patel's work at all