Text Solution:
To determine what the author of this passage is primarily concerned with, we can find the simple story of the passage.
The first sentence of a passage often states or is closely connected to the passage’s main point, and in this case, the first sentence tells us that, in general, “Herman Melville’s distress about the commercial failures of his writings is evident in … his works” and that, in particular, this “distress” was “prominently” evident in his novel Pierre.
Then, the rest of the passage describes how Melville’s real-life distress over his writing for “ungratifying pay” shows up in in Pierre.
So, the simple story of this passage is that Melville’s real-life distress about the commercial failings of his writings shows up in his novel Pierre.
Thus, we can see that the author is primarily concerned with describing how Melville’s real-life distress about the commercial failings of his writings shows up in his novel Pierre.
CORRECT ANSWER(A) illustrating how a writer’s real-life concerns influenced features of a particular novel
As we discussed in the introduction to this explanation, the author of the passage is primarily concerned with describing how Melville’s real-life distress about the commercial failings of his writings shows up in his novel Pierre.
In this choice, “illustrating how” matches what we said, “describing how,” and “real-life concerns influenced features of a particular novel” matches “Melville’s real-life distress about the commercial failings of his writings shows up in his novel Pierre.”
So, this choice accurately captures what the author is primarily concerned with.
(B) relaying the plot of a writer’s underappreciated novel
Trap: Out-of-Scope
Does the passage relay the “plot” of a novel? No.
The passage mentions that Pierre depicts “a young boy in a pastoral landscape” and a “harrowed writer … penning paper after paper,” but these are just a few facts about the novel. We don’t come away from the passage knowing what the plot of Pierre is.
So, this choice goes outside the scope of the passage.
(C) providing reasons for a novel’s underwhelming commercial performance
Trap: Out-of-Scope
The passage does indicate that the “commercial performance” of Melville’s novel Pierre was underwhelming, in that the passage indicates that the novel was rejected by publishers.
However, does the passage provide “reasons” for that underwhelming performance? No.
So, this choice goes outside the scope of the passage.
(D) outlining the method an author used to write a novel
Trap: Out-of-Scope
Notice that, while the passage is about a writer, Melville, and a novel of that writer’s, Pierre, the passage does not outline any “method” used by Melville to write the novel.
So, this choice goes outside the scope of the passage.
(E) arguing against the injustice inherent in publishers’ reception of a certain novel
Trap: Out-of-Scope
This choice could be tempting because, from the general tone of the passage, we might get the sense that the author of the passage has sympathy for Melville and maybe feels that Melville was not treated well by publishers.
However, in answering an RC question, we have to go with what the passage says rather than with vague impressions, and in the passage, the author does not argue against, or even mention, any “injustice.” Yes, the passage says that publishers “would … reject” Melville’s novel, but the simple fact that publishers rejected Melville’s novel does not constitute “injustice.”
Correct answer:
A
