Reading Comprehension

PT128 · S4 · P2 · Q12 Woody Allen

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ln filmmaker Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry, the writer Harry Block is presented as extremely neurotic and narcissistic.

Topic

Woody Allen's films

Framework

Noteworthy Figure/Phenomenon

Main Point

A theme present throughout Allen's career is critiquing people whose lives are dedicated to and obsessed with art.

Summary

P1 - Example 1, Deconstructing Harry

This paragraph opens with a vignette of this movie's central character, and then we get our Purpose Pivot in the 3rd sentence.

While the narcissism is exaggerated for comic effect, the effect is not simply comic: this film is emblematic of Allen's career.

In Noteworthy Figure passages, we're attuned for moments that sound like the author is crystallizing the essence of the artist. What was their unique angle / style / voice all about? So this sentence looks like an early nominee for our Most Valuable Sentence.

P2 - Example 2, Stardust Memories

This paragraph begins with "For instance", so we know it's supposed to be illustrating a Big Idea we just heard. We would remind ourselves of the big idea merely documenting their private suffering and fobbing it off as art", and our author suggests in the final line of this paragraph that Woody Allen probably struggles with this himself, worrying that he himself is guilty of this critique.

P3 - Example 3, Manhattan

Our first sentence again reinforces our main theme: a denigratory (to denigrate is to insult / debase) take on the artistic enterprise.

The themes in this movie again involve pretentious, narcissistic artists who try to turn their own woes into tragic art.

P4 - No Cause, No Effect strengtheners

This last paragraph provides a handful of examples to demonstrate that when Allen's characters are not narcissistic artists, he portrays them much more happily and gives them good outcomes in the story.

12.

The author most likely holds which one of the following views?

  1. Most people who consider themselves

    Too Strong

    Too Strong: most Wrong Point of View This answer sounds like Woody Allen's point of view (or that of some of his protagonists). But this question stem is asking about the author. The author was just reporting on Allen's view, not necessarily sharing it. We have no idea if our author thinks more than 50% of artists are just trying to pawn off their personal suffering as art.

    4% picked this

  2. Correct

    The continuing presence of a

    Why this is right

    The author's voice comes through strongly at the end of the 2nd paragraph, to editorialize a little bit ... this is where she's kind of psychoanalyzing Woody Allen. It'd be like a critic saying, "There are so many evil mothers in Pam's films that it's pretty fair to assume that Pam has a troubled relationship with her mom, and she's working through these issues in her films". (End of 2nd Paragraph) Indeed, the possibility that artists are merely X'ing appears sufficiently often in Allen's films to seem an unresolved personal issue. The internal logic of that sentence suggests that the author thinks that "if something appears sufficiently in Allen's work, then it's probably a personal issue Allen deals with". This answer choice matches that sentiment.

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

    87% picked this

  3. Allen's film career is unique

    Too Strong: unique

    We know that our author thinks Allen's film career has a definite theme: featuring unhappy, narcissistic artists as protagonists. But just because this typifies Allen's career doesn't mean it's unique to him, that no one else ever did this before or since.

    7% picked this

  4. An artist must use his

    Too Strong: must use / truly artistic

    This author thinks (at the end of the 2nd paragraph) that Woody uses his own personal issues as part of a recurring theme, but the author never said anything so extreme or dramatic as "an artist has to use their own experience, or else they are not truly artistic".

    1% picked this

  5. Allen's films accurately reflect real

    Out of Scope: accurately reflect

    This is similar to (A), in that it's accusing our author of having had her own take on whether or not artistic people suck, or whether inartistic people are happier. She reported on these themes in Woody Allen's films. His films depict inartistic individuals as happier. But we have no idea if the author thinks this is true in real life.

    1% picked this

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