#18 - Must Be True, Subject Perspective,Author's Perspective

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=10965)

The correct answer choice is (C)

This question asks us to identify a viewpoint that the author and Broyles-Gonzalez share in common. As mentioned in the VIEWSTAMP analysis above, the two agree that the early development of the Teatro Campesino was a collective accomplishment (lines 54-56). This may not provide the ideal prephrase, but it is a good vantage point from which to analyze the five answer choices.

Answer choice (A): Neither the author, nor Broyles-Gonzalez, discuss the influences that shaped carpas as a dramatic genre. This is a question they attempt to answer with respect to the actos, not the carpas.

Answer choice (B): Why theater historians exaggerated the originality of Valdez is never discussed, which is why the author’s attitude toward their motives cannot be determined.

Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. Broyles-Gonzalez traces the origins of the actos to an older form of theater known as carpas (lines 45-49), arguing that there are “substantial cultural links” between the two (lines 52-53). The author concedes that the Teatro Campesino was a “collective accomplishment” (lines 55-56) with ties to both the genre of carpa and traditional European theater. Clearly, both of them would regard carpas as significant for the development of actos.

Answer choice (D): The extent of Valdez’s acquaintance with carpas as a dramatic form is never discussed in the passage.

Answer choice (E): The author clearly believes that the European tradition played a role in shaping the development of actos (lines 54-60), but Broyles-Gonzalez makes no mention of a link between the two.

[15veries]

Hi

I chose B for this question and I thought I was looking the right place...
In the biginning of the 3rd paragraph, it says "rightly criticizes" so I thought both of them think crediting Valdez only is not good.
So "exaggerating the originality of Valdez" in B matches I thought.
Is B wrong because "motivation" is not talked?

Thanks

[Adam Tyson]

You got it, 15v - motives of the critics simply are not discussed! Also, be careful here - neither the author nor Broyles-Gonzalez are critics of Valdex. Broyles-Gonzalez is a critic of the historians, saying that THEY give Valdez too much credit. That's not saying anything bad about Valdez.

The fact that the author says that Broyles-Gonzalez is right to criticize the historians for giving too much credit to Valdez is what gives us support for answer C. That's what tells us that the author agrees with Broyles-Gonzalez about the importance of other influences on the Teatro Campesino, such as the carpas. The last sentence confirms this agreement, telling us that the actos were connected to both traditional European theater and to carpas.

Good eye on that one! Next time you won't fall for something like answer B!

[gweatherall]

Hi,

I chose D for this one because I mistakenly associated "many participants" in line 51 with Valdez specifically. I can certainly see why that is incorrect- but I'm still having problems with C. I don't like the phrasing that the author and Broyles-Gonzalez "hold essentially the same attitude toward the significance of carpas for the development of the genre of acto," because I read "significance" there as meaning that the author and B-G agree on the level of significance. In fact, they definitely don't agree on the level--they just agree that carpas was significant in general. Am I supposed to understand how significance is being used there? And if so, how?

Thanks!

[AthenaDalton]

Hi gweatherall,

Thanks for your question!

You can read answer choice (C) literally -- it says that Broyles-Gonzalez and the author hold essentially the same attitude toward "the significance of carpas for the development of the acto." Answer choice (C) doesn't mention the level of significance, so don't read that into the answer choice.

The passage tells us that Broyles-Gonzalez traces the origin of actos to carpas, and stops short of crediting Valdez for inventing the genre. The author also seems to agree with this view, stating in the final lines of the passage that many of the individuals who created the actos had substantial cultural links to carpas and concedes that the early development of the Teatro "was a collective accomplishment." In short, both Broyles and the author acknowledge that actos wouldn't exist without carpas, and that Valdez didn't just invent the genre out of whole cloth. If the actos were a necessary building block that gave rise to carpas, it's safe to say that they were a significant part of the development of carpas.

I hope that helps clarify things -- good luck studying!

Athena Dalton

[gweatherall]

Thanks for the explanation, Athena! It makes sense, and I'll try to keep it in mind for other questions.