PrepTest 159, Section 3, Question 1
Critic: While the political message in this short(46 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(9 more words not shown)
- AAuthors should not(7 more words not shown)
- BNothing in a(9 more words not shown)
- CWriters should not(8 more words not shown)
- DPolitical messages need(10 more words not shown)
- EA short story's(8 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
An interesting political message can still be in the wrong story. I can see the critic's concern: the story is trying to make us laugh, and the political message gets in the way.
But why must humor take priority? Couldn't the story do two things at once? Maybe the political point is important enough to justify losing a few laughs. Saying that something distracts from the main purpose doesn't, by itself, establish that it should be removed.
What we’re looking for
The question asks for a principle supporting the critic's reasoning. I'd look for this rule: if part of a story interferes with the story's main purpose, leave that part out. That would connect the distraction we know about to the recommendation the critic makes.
Working the answers
- A
This is tempting. If political messages never belonged in short stories, this one would have to go. But that gives a different reason for removing it: politics is always forbidden, regardless of whether it distracts from anything. The critic actually allows that this message could form the basis of a different short story. The objection concerns its place in this particular story. A blanket ban doesn't support that distinction or explain why the distraction matters.
- BCorrect
This supplies the rule we predicted. Humor is this story's primary focus, and the political message distracts from the humor. If nothing in a story should distract from its primary focus, the political message shouldn't have been included. B supports the critic's actual route from evidence to recommendation while leaving room for political messages in stories where they fit.
- C
The critic doesn't say readers will disagree with the message or be alienated by it. They could agree with every political point and still find the message distracting. C gives a reason to avoid upsetting readers, but that isn't the reason offered here.
- D
We aren't deciding how to develop the message in two different formats. Even if essays and stories require different approaches, that doesn't explain why this message should be removed from this story.
- E
Artistic merit isn't the connection we need. The argument moves from interference with humor to a recommendation to leave something out. Calling political messages irrelevant to artistic merit doesn't establish that a distraction from the primary focus should be removed.
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