Logical Reasoning

PT145 · S2 · Q20 Critic: It is common to argue that

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Critic: It is common to argue that there is a distinction between “literary” and “genre” fiction.

Conclusion

It is a specious (i.e. faulty) distinction to say that literary fiction should be interpreted while genre fictions should be merely a source of easy pleasure.

Intermediate Conclusion (because)

No work should be interpreted.

Evidence

When we evaluate a work principally for its themes and ideas, we cut ourselves off from the work's emotional impact.

Evaluate

Whenever we read Role or Main Conclusion arguments, we remind ourselves that there's a 90% chance the conclusion will be the first sentence or will be some rebuttal sentiment.

This argument begins with an Attribution, "It is common to argue that ...", which would lead us to suspect that a rebuttal is coming, and indeed we do get one after the Pivot (but, yet, however).

Goal

We're being asked about the role of the final sentence, which was the premise. Let's look for an answer saying that the last sentence is support / evidence / premise for the conclusion that "no work should be interpreted".

20.

Which one of the following most accurately describes the role played in the critic's argument by the claim that when we evaluate a work principally for its themes and ideas, we cut ourselves off from the work's emotional impact?

  1. It states the conclusion.

    Wrong Role

    The last sentence is a premise, not the conclusion. It's very rare for the conclusion to be the final claim in the paragraph, on Role and Main Conclusion.

    3% picked this

  2. Correct

    It is offered as support

    Why this is right

    This is what we were looking for: it's a premise.

    Skill tested: Role · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

    76% picked this

  3. It attempts to spell out

    Wrong Role

    The critic's main conclusion is that "it is incorrect to make a distinction between literature and genre books". So spelling out the practical implications of that would be like saying, "So, next time you're confronted by a piece of literature and a genre book, you shouldn't distinguish between the two in terms of which one should / shouldn't be interpreted". The other conclusion is that "no work should be interpreted". Spelling out the practical implications of that would sound more like, "So when a book reviewer or a teacher of English literature considers a new book, they should not endeavor to interpret the book." This last sentence is supporting / defending why we shouldn't interpret any work. It isn't giving us practical implications of the conclusion. It's giving us a conceptual justification for the conclusion.

    14% picked this

  4. It attempts to explain the

    Wrong Role

    The last sentence has nothing to do with the distinction between literary fiction and genre fiction. The last sentence is just telling us the danger of trying to interpret any work.

    6% picked this

  5. It attempts to anticipate an

    Wrong Role

    There's nothing we could point to that looks like the author is trying to get ahead of some potential objection to her conclusion that "no work should be interpreted". For this answer to be correct, we'd need to see something more like this, "No work should be interpreted. While some may fear that this would make us unable to teach works of fiction, there is still plenty to discuss about any work in terms of its emotional impact." Because that bold claim was prefaced by a "some may fear", we could justify saying that the role of the bold claim was to respond to an anticipated objection.

    1% picked this

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