James Joyce revolutionized the novel, the short story, and modern lite

Question

New Project RC Butler 2019  -  Practice 2 RC Passages Everyday   
Passage # 27, Date : 14-FEB-2019
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James Joyce revolutionized the novel, the short story, and modern literature as we know it. He was born in Dublin, the first of 10 children in a Catholic family. His father was a civil servant whose poor financial judgment left the family impoverished for much of Joyce’s youth. Young James attended Dublin’s fine Jesuit schools, which gave him a firm grounding in theology and classical languages—subjects that appeared repeatedly in his later work. The story of his early life and his intellectual rebellion against Catholicism and Irish nationalism are told in the largely autobiographical novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

In 1902, at the age of 20, Joyce left Dublin to spend the rest of his life in Paris, Trieste, Rome, and Zurich, with only occasional visits back home. Despite this self-imposed exile, Dublin was the setting for most of his writings. Dubliners (1914), Joyce’s most accessible work, is a collection of short stories describing the paralyzing social mores of middle-class Catholic life. “The Dead,” the final story in the collection, is frequently listed as one of the finest short stories ever written.

Joyce’s next book, Ulysses, took seven years to write; once he finished writing it, he almost couldn’t find anyone to publish it. Upon the novel’s publication, both Ireland and the United States immediately banned it as obscene. Despite these obstacles, Ulysses has come to be generally recognized as the greatest twentieth-century novel written in English. The novel was revolutionary in many ways. The structure was unique: Joyce recreated one full day in the life of his protagonist, Leopold Bloom, and modeled the actions of the story on those of Ulysses in the Odyssey. In recounting Bloom’s day, Joyce mentions everything that happens to Bloom—including thoughts, bodily functions, and sexual acts—providing a level of physical actuality that had never before been achieved in literature. To provide a psychological insight comparable to the physical detail, Joyce employed a then-revolutionary technique called stream of consciousness,in which the protagonist’s thoughts are laid bare to the reader.

From 1922 until 1939, Joyce worked on a vast, experimental novel that eventually became known as Finnegan’s Wake. The novel, which recounts “the history of the world” through a family’s dreams, employs its own “night language” of puns, foreign words, and literary allusions. It has no clear chronology or plot, and it begins and ends on incomplete sentences that flow into each other. Many of Joyce’s supporters thought he was wasting his time on the project, although the playwright Samuel Beckett, who later won the Nobel Prize for Literature, helped Joyce compile the final text when his eyesight was failing. Today, Finnegan’s Wake is viewed as Joyce’s most obscure and possibly most brilliant work.   1 
 1. Which of the following would make the most appropriate title for this passage?

A. The Long Way Home: Ulysses and Finnegan’s Wake
B. James Joyce, Ulysses, and the Battle against Censorship
C. The Works of James Joyce, Ireland’s Literary Genius
D. The Hidden Value of James Joyce’s Great Novels
E. A Portrait of James Joyce as a Young Man

2 
 2. Based on the information in the passage, which of the following would be the mostaccurate statement about Dubliners and Finnegan’s Wake?

A. Dubliners contains one of the greatest short stories in the English language, and Finnegan’s Wake is the greatest story in the English language.
B. Many of the chief characters in Finnegan’s Wake were earlier introduced in Dubliners.
C. The linguistic experimentation of Dubliners paved the way for the “night language” of Finnegan’s Wake.
D. Dubliners is a longer book than Finnegan’s Wake.
E. Dubliners is a more accessible book than Finnegan’s Wake.

3 
 3. Joyce’s works helped introduce all except which of the following literary elements into modern English literature?

A. Narration through second-person address
B. Novel structure based on real-time chronology
C. Linguistic experimentation
D. Literary realism concerning physical reality
E. Stream of consciousness

4 
 4. According to the passage, in what year was Joyce born?

A. 1880
B. 1882
C. 1885
D. 1902
E. 1914

5 
 5. The author most likely mentions James Joyce’s childhood, family, and education to serve what purpose?

A. To suggest that he had to write in order to make a living
B. To suggest that he became a writer because of his father’s influence
C. To provide the background and cultural context for his literary work
D. To provide evidence that his literary genius was present when he was a child
E. To explain his opposition to Catholicism and socialism in his later life

6 
 6. Who is the most likely intended audience for this passage?

A. Insurance professionals at a company seminar
B. University professors of English literature at a symposium on twentieth-century Irish playwrights
C. High school students in Ireland studying their nation’s traditional folklore
D. College students studying twentieth-century English literature
E. Elementary school students studying the Odyssey

7 
 7. Which of the following can be inferred about Joyce’s attitude toward Catholicism as practiced in Ireland at the end of the nineteenth century?

A. He felt that it repressed intellectual freedom and individual expression.
B. He viewed it as the central component of the Irish national psyche.
C. He feared that it was impeding the Irish nationalist movement.
D. He felt that it forced him to leave Dublin for Paris, Trieste, Rome, and Zurich.
E. He believed that Dublin’s Jesuit schools provided the finest education in all of Ireland.

Source:   McGraw Hills GMAT 2013    (551 - 727) 
Difficulty Level:   600

Sajjad1994 · Accepted Answer

Official Explanation

1. Which of the following would make the most appropriate title for this passage?

Explanation

The passage addresses all of Joyce’s great works, and it focuses on why his works are considered to be so brilliant,  so C is a fitting title . A, B, D, and E focus on more limited topics that are partially addressed in the passage but are not its main theme.

ANSWER: C

2. Based on the information in the passage, which of the following would be the mostaccurate statement about Dubliners and Finnegan’s Wake?

Explanation

The passage identifies Dubliners as  “Joyce’s most accessible work,”  while it says that Finnegan’s Wake  “employs its own ‘night language’ of puns, foreign words, and literary allusions,”  so it is safe to say that Dubliners is the more accessible work. There is not sufficient support in the passage for answers A through D.

ANSWER: E

3. Joyce’s works helped introduce all except which of the following literary elements into modern English literature?

Explanation

The passage never mentions second-person address. There is support for all of the other answers in the passage:  B — “ The structure was unique: Joyce recreated one full day in the life of his protagonist ” ;  C — “ The novel … employs its own ‘night language’ of puns, foreign words, and literary allusions ” ;  D — “ Joyce mentions everything that happens to Bloom—including thoughts, bodily functions, and sexual acts—providing a level of physical actuality that had never before been achieved in literature ” ;  E — “ Joyce employed a then-revolutionary technique called stream of consciousness. ”

ANSWER: A

4. According to the passage, in what year was Joyce born?

Explanation

The passage states:  “In 1902, at the age of 20, Joyce …”

ANSWER: B

Hope it Helps

gvij2017 · Answer

Could you explain Q-3.
Joyce's books are written assuming a protagonist, but lack chronology.

Masterscorp · Answer

Hi, let's take a look at the answer: Real-time chronology means that everything that happens in real-time is described. This might look a bit confusing at first sight but it is mentioned in the passage. This is the relevant part of the passage: Talking about thoughts, bodily functions etc. definitely is a real-time chronology. Hope that helps

jackspire · Answer

3. Which of the following can be inferred about Joyce’s attitude toward Catholicism as practiced in Ireland at the end of the nineteenth century?

A. He felt that it repressed intellectual freedom and individual expression.
B. He viewed it as the central component of the Irish national psyche.
C. He feared that it was impeding the Irish nationalist movement.
D. He felt that it forced him to leave Dublin for Paris, Trieste, Rome, and Zurich.
E. He believed that Dublin’s Jesuit schools provided the finest education in all of Ireland.

Can someone please explain the reasoning for the answer of above question?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

ANSWER: A

The passage mentions “his intellectual rebellion against Catholicism” and “the paralyzing social mores of middle-class Catholic life”; A captures these sentiments better than any of the other answers. There is insufficient support for B and C, D is incorrect because the passage never says that Catholicism forced him to leave Ireland, or indeed that he was forced to leave (and why travel to Paris, Trieste, and Rome to flee Catholicism?); and E is incorrect because it is too strong a statement and it is not focused on the topic of the question.

Hope It Helps

honneeey · Answer

5:14 Minutes, all correct!

1. The author most likely mentions James Joyce’s childhood, family, and education to serve what purpose?

C. To provide the background and cultural context for his literary work- Correct,  the background is provided to show the readers where the inspiration for the writer's works came from!

2. Who is the most likely intended audience for this passage?

D. College students studying twentieth-century English literature- Correct,  rest all choices have fatal flaw! this closely matches the intended audience!!

3. Which of the following can be inferred about Joyce’s attitude toward Catholicism as practiced in Ireland at the end of the nineteenth century?

A. He felt that it repressed intellectual freedom and individual expression.- Correct,  refer "The story of his early life and his intellectual rebellion against Catholicism and Irish nationalism are told in the largely autobiographical novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.
.."

kanthaliya · Answer

I couldn't understand Q2. Please explain.

Abhishek009 · Answer

Let's try -

Paragraph 3 mentions -

The novel, which recounts “the history of the world” through a family’s dreams, employs its own “night language” of puns, foreign words, and literary allusions. It has no clear chronology or plot, and it begins and ends on incomplete sentences that flow into each other.

Whereas PAragraph 2 while mentioning Dubliners mentions -

Dubliners (1914), Joyce’s most accessible work, is a collection of short stories describing the paralyzing social mores of middle-class Catholic life.

Thus, we can options (E) Dubliners is a more accessible book than Finnegan’s Wake

arpitkansal · Answer

SajjadAhmad  can you provide explanation for question 3 please ?

patto · Answer

Hi!
I'm going to cite everything so that you can clearly see the correct answer. I think that the best approach to this question is to apply POE, as follows.

For B, "The novel was revolutionary in many ways. The structure was unique: Joyce recreated one full day in the life of his protagonist ." (Paragraph #3) --> INCORRECT

For C, "The novel, which recounts “the history of the world” through a family’s dreams, employs its own “night language” of puns, foreign words, and literary allusions." (Paragraph #4)--> INCORRECT

For D, "In recounting Bloom’s day, Joyce mentions everything that happens to Bloom—including thoughts, bodily functions, and sexual acts—providing a level of physical actuality that had never before been achieved in literature." (Paragraph #3)--> INCORRECT

For E, "To provide a psychological insight comparable to the physical detail, Joyce employed a then-revolutionary technique called stream of consciousness,  " (Paragraph #3)--> INCORRECT

Since there are 4 incorrect answer choices and 1 correct answer choice, it must be A the correct answer choice.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

5. The author most likely mentions James Joyce’s childhood, family, and education to serve what purpose?

Difficulty Level:   550

Explanation

The first paragraph states:  “Young James attended Dublin’s fine Jesuit schools, which gave him a firm grounding in theology and classical languages—subjects that appeared repeatedly in his later work. The story of his early life and his intellectual rebellion against Catholicism and Irish nationalism are told in the largely autobiographical novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.”  These statements provide substantial support for  C . None of the other answers receives strong support in the text.

Answer: C

6. Who is the most likely intended audience for this passage?

Difficulty Level:   650

Explanation

The educated but generalist tone of the article makes  D  the best answer.  B is incorrect  because a passage intended for English professors would probably have a more academic tone, and in any event the passage describes Joyce’s novels and makes no mention of plays;  C is incorrect  because the passage says nothing about folklore; and  E is incorrect  because the passage is too advanced for most elementary school students, and because the Odyssey is mentioned in the passage only tangentially.

Answer: D

7. Which of the following can be inferred about Joyce’s attitude toward Catholicism as practiced in Ireland at the end of the nineteenth century?

Difficulty Level:   650

Explanation

The passage mentions  “his intellectual rebellion against Catholicism”  and  “the paralyzing social mores of middle-class Catholic life” ; A captures these sentiments better than any of the other answers. There is insufficient support for  B and C, D is incorrect  because the passage never says that Catholicism forced him to leave Ireland, or indeed that he was forced to leave (and why travel to Paris, Trieste, and Rome to flee Catholicism?); and  E is incorrect  because it is too strong a statement and it is not focused on the topic of the question.

Answer: A

Hope it Helps

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James Joyce revolutionized the novel, the short story, and modern lite

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James Joyce revolutionized the novel, the short story, and modern lite

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