Literary Theory

Answer choices

1. A

   Too Strong: any / inevitable2% picked this

   Any literary theory should be seen ultimately as limiting, since contradictory interpretations of

   We can't find a way to support this strongly worded claim that all literary theories inevitably yield contradictions.

   2%
2. B

   Correct90% picked this

   A purpose of a literary theory is to broaden and enhance the understanding that can be

   Why this is right

   This reflects the author's stance. She thinks reader-response theory sometimes goes too far, but overall she thinks that this theory has value, because it can "uncover hitherto unnoticed dimensions of the text". She says: while in some cases [reader response goes too far], unfairly burdening literature of the past with contemporary ideologies, legitimate additional insights and understandings continue to emerge .... There, she is complimenting reader response theory because it allows legitimate additional insights and understanding to emerge. So it's reasonable to think she would agree that "one purpose of a literary theory (one source of value) is when it can broaden and enhance the understanding that can be gained from a work". She talks about broadening the understanding in the final sentence: reader-response theory legitimizes a wide range of perspectives on these works

   Skill tested: Author Opinion · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.

   90%
3. C

   Different View2% picked this

   A literary theory should provide valid and strictly objective methods for

   This is isn't the author's view. This is more like how the formalists would think. They think there's "one right answer" when it comes to the meaning of the text, so they would be down with valid and objective methods for interpreting texts.

   2%
4. D

   Different View3% picked this

   The purpose of a literary theory is to make clear the intended meaning of the

   This is isn't the author's view. This is how the formalists think. They think there's "one right answer" when it comes to the meaning of the text, the author's intended meaning. They think that a literary theory should solve the correct answer of each text. The author thinks that's unnecessarily narrow and likes how reader-response validates different perspectives on the text.

   3%
5. E

   Too Strong: avoid using theories3% picked this

   Since no literary theory has a monopoly on meaning, a reader should avoid using theories

   While the opening clause is a verbatim quote of the passage (red flag, red flag), the main clause can't be supported. The author's stance isn't that "we shouldn't use any theories". She thinks that formalists are a little too rigid with their views, but she seems to agree with them on some points. She thinks reader-response sometimes gets silly, but often adds real value.

   3%