Q14

[peg_city]

I have a hard time understand why A is right when it is only mentioned during the third paragraph and a bit of the fourth.

[LSAT-Chang]

I think the important thing to note in this passage is that we hear the author's point from the 3rd paragraph and onwards. The 1st paragraph just seems to provide some background information about Ellison's technique of thematic blending, and then outline the criticisms received about this. The 2nd paragraph outlines Ellison's reaction to these criticisms and ends with the author siding with Ellison. Then we get the author's point, which is that a more helpful approach in understanding Invisible Man can be found in Ellison's own love for and celebration of jazz. The author basically illustrates how Ellison's thematic blending is similar to that of Jazz for the remaining 3rd and 4th paragraphs.

Now, back to Q14, we can clearly support the idea that the author holds the view that Ellison's successfully blending different cultural forms (African American & European) can be demonstrated by jazz's ability to incorporate European influences. The specific evidence we get for this is lines 33-37 -- "some jazz musicians have been able to take the European-influenced songs of U.S. theater and transform them into musical pieces that are unique and personal but also expressive of African American culture."

Hope this helps!!

[layamaheshwari]

I have a hard time understand why A is right when it is only mentioned during the third paragraph and a bit of the fourth.

It would also be worth remembering that this question, unlike most other first questions to a passage, is NOT about the passage's main point. It is just about a view the author clearly holds. Thus, how prominently the correct answer choice features in the passage is irrelevant: does the author explicitly agree with it? Yes? Then it's correct.

[MeenaV936]

Why is B wrong?

[ohthatpatrick]

It's very weakly worded, so it's pretty darn tempting to consider.

When do we talk about using something "as an effective tool for social and political action"?

That language shows up in lines 9-13, but this part of the passage is not the author, it's the critics.

This is a good example of the value of researching wrong answers:
if an answer appeals to us, it's usually because we've heard some of this language before. So, we should try to find it! Often, by re-reading the applicable text, we can see that the text and the answer choice are saying two different things. Or, like in this case, we can see that the answer choice is referring to a part of the passage that isn't the right zone (the right "Proof Window") for what the question stem is asking about.