#25 - Specific Reference, Must Be True, Subject Perspective

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (C).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E):

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[sarahlara]

Hello, I just wanted a little further explanation to why C is the correct answer say over D? I see how C is correct, but I thought D could also be correct. In particular, I chose D over C because of the phrase "practical rather than mystical" and from the first paragraph I was under the impression that people would see the Luminist paintings as more practical than idealized or mystical? Please help me thank you!

[atierney]

Hello,

Yes, beginning on line 5 of the passage, the view espoused implies a "tranquil mysticism," and while, I understand that the tranquil part of that might lead you to think that such a statement itself implies practicality, but I think here the word practical, as used in the answer choice, opposes mystical, or creates a contrast between mysticism and practicality (the main premise of the answer choice), so, really, there is no reason to rely upon "tranquil" in the phrase "tranquil mysticism" to interpret the phrase as a whole as closer to practicality than mysticism. This point is further bolstered by the argument beginning in the second paragraph.

Let me know if you have further questions.

[Jeanniecat2234]

Hello. I was able to answer this question by process of elimination, but I don't exactly understand why C is the correct answer. Is the "Luminist depiction of nature" like how Lane would paint nature?

[Robert Carroll]

Jeanniecat2234,

The Luminist depiction of nature is how any Luminist would depict nature. The author in the first two paragraphs reports the accepted view that Luminists depict nature as tranquil, with a pure and constant light that guides the onlooker toward transcendentalism. The author thinks this view is incorrect - the depiction of nature is meant for a different purpose than what this view thinks. Instead, the author thinks the Luminists depicted nature in that way because they were trying to communicate that it was domesticated by humans and serving human interests. Thus, the accepted view does not correctly interpret the Luminist depiction of nature, which proves answer choice (C) correct.

Robert Carroll