Reading Comprehension

PT113 · S1 · P3 · Q15 The Invisible Man

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Published in 1952, Invisible Man featured a protagonist whose activities enabled the novel’s author, Ralph Ellison, to explore and to blend themes specifically tied to the history and plight of African Americans with themes, also explored by many European writers with whose works Ellison was familiar, about the fractured, evanescent quality of individual identity and character.

Topic

Ralph Ellison’s novel Invisible Man, its blend of individual and cultural themes, and criticisms regarding its literary style and purpose.

Framework

Challenge Position

Main Point

Ellison was criticized for blending European literary influences with African American themes and focusing on individual identity rather than overt political action, but he argued that demanding cultural segregation in art is limiting and that individual artistic expression can enrich both the individual and the community. (Most Valuable Sentence: The author’s position is crystallized at the end of paragraph 2: )

P1: Introduction to Ellison’s Themes and Critics’ Complaints

Ellison’s Invisible Man is introduced as a novel blending African American concerns with universal questions about identity, leading critics to reproach him for borrowing European styles and neglecting political engagement in favor of individual expression.

P2: Ellison’s Response to Critics

Ellison rejects calls for artistic self-censorship and “cultural segregation in the arts,” insisting that true artistry expresses unique perspectives and should not be restricted to serve narrow political or cultural agendas.

P3: The Jazz Analogy / A Better Model

The passage uses jazz music as an analogy: jazz has always incorporated diverse influences while still reflecting African American culture. In a similar way, Ellison’s writing mixes influences to create something personal but also culturally meaningful.

15.

Based on the passage, Ellison's critics would most likely have responded favorably to Invisible Man if it had

Correct
created a positive effect on
Why this is right
This one reinforces the first criticism. 1. focus less on individual stuff / more toward political action 2. use less European stuff / be more concerned with developing a distinct African American writing style His critics believed that the social and political conditions of his era demanded that his art be directed more toward political action. Political action would be aimed at creating a positive effect on these demanding social / political conditions. If the book were achieving positive social change, then the critics would have no grounds for issuing that 1st complaint.
Skill tested: Non-Author Opinion · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.
45% picked this
provided a historical record of
Out of Scope: historical record
This one is flirting with the 2nd criticism, but that was about developing an African American writing style, not writing the history of African Americans. 1. focus less on individual stuff / more toward political action 2. use less European stuff / be more concerned with developing a distinct African American writing style
5% picked this
contained a tribute to the
Out of Scope: political contributions
This one is trying to make a word salad out of both criticisms together. The critics said, "you should have made a political contribution" and "you should have tried creating an African American writing style". It never said, "you should have written glowingly about African Americans of the past who made political contributions".
21% picked this
prompted a necessary and further
Out of Scope
Out of Scope: separating US from Europe This one is flirting with the 2nd criticism, but that was about Ellison using fewer European conventions in order to better develop a distinct African American style. 1. focus less on individual stuff / more toward political action 2. use less European stuff / be more concerned with developing a distinct African American writing style The critics weren't worried about separating American from European art. They were worried about separating African American from other art.
28% picked this
generated a large audience made
Out of Scope: generate diverse audience
Neither of the criticisms have anything to do with fostering a diverse and large audience. The two desires the critics had: 1. focus less on individual stuff / more toward political action 2. use less European stuff / be more concerned with developing a distinct African American writing style
1% picked this

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