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- Tue May 30, 2017 6:21 pm
#35522
Passage Discussion
Paragraph One:
The author opens with a brief discussion about the relationship between music and literature,
remarking on its relevance to the African American artistic tradition. As a particular example of a
literary work that uniquely draws upon the musical genre, the author introduces Toni Morrison’s
1992 novel Jazz.
Paragraph Two:
The second paragraph elaborates on the role of music in Jazz, but does not dwell on what the novel
says about music. Instead, it argues that music plays a structural role in how the story is told. The
author supports her observation by delving into a detailed description of Toni Morrison’s narrative
strategy and comparing it to the playing of a jazz band: Just like the solo performances in a band are
interweaved with the unified sound of the ensemble, so are Morrison’s characters given the liberty to
relate their own story but never “take over” the narrative itself.
Paragraph Three:
To further explain the analogy between Morrison’s writing and jazz music, the author introduces
Duke Ellington. In constructing his compositions, Ellington allowed individual musicians to
improvise at liberty, but always ensured that their performances integrate seamlessly in the overall
context of the work. This composition style is a perfect illustration of the narrative effect that Toni
Morrison has achieved in Jazz.
Paragraph Four:
Despite its brevity, this paragraph is valuable not only as a condensation of the author’s position, but
also as an illustration of his profoundly appreciative attitude towards Morrison’s linguistic virtuosity.
VIEWSTAMP Analysis
The only Viewpoint presented here is that of the author, who is clearly a fan of Toni Morrison’s
work. Although Toni Morrison and Duke Ellington are discussed at length, their respective positions
are never discussed.
The general Structure of the passage is as follows:
Toni Morrison’s narrative style. This tone is typical of test-makers’ general tendency to regard
underrepresented groups favorably.
The only Argument presented is that of the author’s, who believes that the connection to music
in Jazz involves not only the novel’s plot but also the way in which the plot is narrated. This claim
is supported by a series of observations about Toni Morrison’s narrative strategy and about Duke
Ellington’s composition style.
The Main Point of the passage is that Jazz possesses a unique narrative strategy, analogous to that of
Duke Ellington’s art of composition.
Paragraph One:
The author opens with a brief discussion about the relationship between music and literature,
remarking on its relevance to the African American artistic tradition. As a particular example of a
literary work that uniquely draws upon the musical genre, the author introduces Toni Morrison’s
1992 novel Jazz.
Paragraph Two:
The second paragraph elaborates on the role of music in Jazz, but does not dwell on what the novel
says about music. Instead, it argues that music plays a structural role in how the story is told. The
author supports her observation by delving into a detailed description of Toni Morrison’s narrative
strategy and comparing it to the playing of a jazz band: Just like the solo performances in a band are
interweaved with the unified sound of the ensemble, so are Morrison’s characters given the liberty to
relate their own story but never “take over” the narrative itself.
Paragraph Three:
To further explain the analogy between Morrison’s writing and jazz music, the author introduces
Duke Ellington. In constructing his compositions, Ellington allowed individual musicians to
improvise at liberty, but always ensured that their performances integrate seamlessly in the overall
context of the work. This composition style is a perfect illustration of the narrative effect that Toni
Morrison has achieved in Jazz.
Paragraph Four:
Despite its brevity, this paragraph is valuable not only as a condensation of the author’s position, but
also as an illustration of his profoundly appreciative attitude towards Morrison’s linguistic virtuosity.
VIEWSTAMP Analysis
The only Viewpoint presented here is that of the author, who is clearly a fan of Toni Morrison’s
work. Although Toni Morrison and Duke Ellington are discussed at length, their respective positions
are never discussed.
The general Structure of the passage is as follows:
- Paragraph 1: Introduce Toni Morrison’s novel Jazz as a unique example of the intricate
relationship between music and literature.
Paragraph 2: Describe the connection to music in Jazz and explain why its narrative style is
analogous to jazz music.
Paragraph 3: Draw parallels between Duke Ellington’s style of musical composition and the
narrative strategy in Jazz.
Paragraph 4: Summarize the author’s position and express admiration for Toni Morrison’s
innovative approach to narration.
Toni Morrison’s narrative style. This tone is typical of test-makers’ general tendency to regard
underrepresented groups favorably.
The only Argument presented is that of the author’s, who believes that the connection to music
in Jazz involves not only the novel’s plot but also the way in which the plot is narrated. This claim
is supported by a series of observations about Toni Morrison’s narrative strategy and about Duke
Ellington’s composition style.
The Main Point of the passage is that Jazz possesses a unique narrative strategy, analogous to that of
Duke Ellington’s art of composition.