#17 - Global Reference, Must Be True, Author's Perspective

[edacyu]

Hi,

For this question, I originally put A as my answer after having eliminated B,C, and D. In hindsight, I understand that A was too much of an extrapolation to be a valid answer (Satiric art forms are not necessarily always often among the first to cross racial/cultural divisions), but I'm having trouble finding where in the passage answer E is supported.

While going through the work, I understood that Walker continued to modify the dance to appeal to multiple communities, but don't understand how to make the jump from that interpretation to having the cakewalk "bolster their social identities."

Thanks!

[Alex Bodaken]

edacyu,

Thanks for the question! The most direct support for answer choice (E) comes right at the end of the passage when the author writes "Walker was able to gain the admiration of many newly rich industrialists and financiers, who found in the grand flourishes of her version of the cakewalk a fitting vehicle for celebrating their newfound social rank." This is a pretty good approximation of what answer choice (E) says: " Some of Walker's admirers were attracted to her version of the cakewalk as a means for bolstering their social identities." I think that additional parts of the passage, including those about middle-class African-Americans and middle and upper-class European-Americans, could also be read as support for answer choice (E), but frankly, that line about the industrialists and financiers is sufficient to make (E) the credited answer.

Hope that helps!
Alex