Reading Comprehension

PT123 · S1 · P2 · Q9 Cullen

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Countee Cullen (Countee Leroy Porter, 1903–1946) was one of the foremost poets of the Harlem Renaissance, the movement of African American writers, musicians, and artists centered in the Harlem section of New York City during the 1920s.

Topic

Countee Cullen’s poetic style, themes, and place in the Harlem Renaissance, along with debates about his use of European forms and how he handled political and racial themes.

Framework

Present Debate (with touches of Highlight Noteworthy)

Main Point

Cullen was committed to writing romantic poetry in traditional European forms, which led critics to debate whether his style was at odds with addressing racial and political issues—but Cullen believed his artistic identity, form, and concern with race were naturally intertwined. Most Valuable Sentence: The last sentence of paragraph 2 best encapsulates Cullen’s view:

P1: Cullen’s Poetic Style and Influences

Right from college, Cullen wanted to be known for romantic poetry that focused on universal subjects like love and death. He stuck to classic European styles—think sonnets, quatrains, rhyme, and even religious or classical allusions—drawing on both his education and religious upbringing.

P2: Critics’ Debate—Artistic Form vs. Racial Themes

Some critics praised Cullen’s mastery of European poetic forms, but others thought those styles weren’t a good fit for political or racial commentary. In poems like “Uncle Jim” and “Incident,” they said the form clashed with the content. Cullen disagreed, insisting his dual interests—in refined poetry and racial issues—were compatible, and the way he wrote naturally expressed his identity, including his race.

P3: Later Poetry—Shifting Emphasis, Ongoing Commitment

Cullen’s later work talked less explicitly about race, but not because he cared less—instead, he focused more on religious themes, weaving racial questions into broader spiritual ones. In poems like "The Black Christ" and "Heritage," his reflections on race took on a deeper, soulful dimension. Even as his themes expanded, he remained deeply aware and proud of his racial identity.

9.

Which one of the following is NOT identified by the author of the passage as characteristic of Cullen's poetry?

  1. It often deals with abstract,

    Supported

    The 2nd sentence of the passage says that "Cullen strove to establish himself as an author of romantic poetry on abstract, universal topics".

    4% picked this

  2. It often employs rhyme, classical

    Supported

    The 3rd sentence of the passage says that "He used European forms such as sonnets and devices such as quatrains, couplets, and conventional rhyme, and he frequently employed classical allusions and Christian religious imagery."

    1% picked this

  3. Correct

    It avoids traditional poetic forms

    Why this is right

    This is the opposite of Cullen. He used traditional poetic forms; he didn't avoid them. The first two sentences of the 2nd paragraph are stressing that critics were bugged by his use of traditional poetic forms. They thought it was a weird match for his contemporary political / racial themes. The "European verse forms" Cullen is using are traditional poetic forms (as are things like "sonnets, quatrains, couplets, conventional rhyme" from the 1st paragraph.)

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

    89% picked this

  4. It sometimes deals explicitly with

    Supported

    The beginning of the 3rd paragraph talks about how "explicit references to racial matters decline in Cullen's later work", which implies that explicit references to racial matters were present in his earlier work.

    4% picked this

  5. It eventually subsumed racial issues

    Supported

    The final paragraph's first two sentences explain how in his later work ("eventually"), explicit references to racial matters declined and he increasingly focused on the religious dimension of his poetry. So the racial stuff became secondary (subsumed) by the religious stuff.

    3% picked this

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