#5 - Specific Reference, Must Be True, Purpose/Function

[lilmissunshine]

Hello,

I wanted to pick (C) "transformative" based on line 46 "a basic change in the worldview...". But I ended up choosing (E) "prefatory", because that's what "initiatory" literally means. Do we sometimes ignore the literal meaning of the word for this kind of questions? Thanks a lot!

[Adam Tyson]

You bet we do, lilmiss! Context is more important in these questions, and often the authors will try to trap us with an answer choice that makes literal sense, as prefatory did, but is incorrect due to context. After all, the question wasn't "what does this word mean", but "what was the author's intended meaning".

Keep in mind, too, that many words have multi-layered meanings. "Compromise" is one that comes to mind and which shows up with some frequency on the LSAT. It typically means something like "find common ground" or "meet in the middle", but it can also mean "weaken" or "threaten", as in "the structural integrity of the bridge was compromised by inferior quality steel girders".

"Initiatory" means beginning, but it can also mean changing, as in being initiated into a group. If you are "one of the initiated", that means you have been changed in some way by joining the group or having special knowledge.

Context is key!

[JulesC]

Hello,

For this question I don't understand why C is correct. I understand that the author is explaining that the journeys these characters are undergoing are mean to bring some transformation into their lives, but the reason I didn't chose C was because in the sentence "Finally, like many West African oral tales, Sembene's narratives take the form of initiatory journeys that bring about a basic change in the worldview of the protagonist and ultimately, Sembene hopes, in that of the viewer." The phrase "bring about a basic change in the worldview of the protagonist" occurs right after "initiatory journey" so I didn't think that the author would use a description word and then explain it again so soon in a sentence. For this reason, I chose E instead. Please let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Jules

[Jeremy Press]

Hi Jules,

You're thinking about the question in the right way, but you ended up talking yourself out of the best evidence you had for answer choice C. In the passage, the author used the term "initiatory," not the term in the answer choices to the question. And the term "initiatory" (as Adam helpfully pointed out up above in his post) can mean multiple things. The author likely understood that instinctively while writing, and so the additional context the author provided by using the phrase "bring about a basic change in the worldview of the protagonist" clears up any confusion for the reader. It's as if the author is saying to the reader, "I know you may not have understood what I meant by initiatory, but here's a phrase ("basic change in worldview") that lets you know I meant the "transformative" sense of "initiatory."

Also note that the question stem is not asking you to identify a term that you could swap into the passage and make it read the same. It's asking you to identify a term that expresses what the author meant. Answer choice C expresses what the author meant, even though you're absolutely right that it would be redundant if we rewrote the passage with that term included!

I hope this helps!

Jeremy