Paraphrasing: {15 mins 5/7 correct}
Para 1: Novel “Obasan” by Joy Kogawa, about a Japanese-Canadian family’s experience of dislocation during WW2, serve to emphasize her major character’s heroism and to critique the majority culture. Novel is divided into two forms, first from form of novel and second symbols its employs
Para 2: anthropologists in their study, divides novel into 3 stages of Naomi journey:
First (chapter 1 to 11) secure and safe position in society;
Second (chapter 12 to 32), getting separate from secure and safe position to ghost town;
Third (chapter 33 to 39), re-gain the lost history status, reconciles herself with her history.
Para 3: Kogawa’s novel describe Naomi’s feelings and Japanese-Canadian people had to face during war time experience from the majority culture society, a journey of heroic transformation
1. Which one of the following most accurately states the main idea of the passage?
(A) While telling a story of familial disruption, Obasan uses structure and symbolism
to valorise its protagonist and critique the majority culture.
Correct: Validate main character “Naomi” and analysis majority culture, as mentioned in the passage,
“Although the experience depicted in Obasan is mainly one of dislocation, Kogawa employs subtle techniques that serve to emphasize her major character’s heroism and to critique the majority culture”
(B) By means of its structure and symbolism,
Obasan mounts a harsh critique of a society that disrupts its citizens’ lives.
Wrong: Analysis about harsh society behaviour
that disturbs citizens wrongly describe all citizens,
but it was specifically about Japanese-Canadian citizen faced criticism during WW2,
through main character Naomi
(C) Although intended primarily as social criticism,
given its structure Obasan can also be read as a tale of heroic transformation.
Focus on social criticism through Naomi journey during war time experience
Wrong: it’s the other way around, Novel focus on Naomi journey during war time experience from social criticism
(D) With its three-part structure that parallels rites of passage,
Obasan manages to valorise its protagonist in spite of her traumatic experiences.
Wrong: Novel is not about the people who study societies and culture development,
who divide the novel into 3 stages for ease of understanding.
(E) Although intended primarily as a story of heroic transformation,
Obasan can also be read as a work of social criticism.
Wrong: Not about work of social criticism
2. Which one of the following most accurately describes the organization of the passage?
Explanation:
Para 1: Introduction – “The former end is achieved through the novel’s form and the latter through the symbols it employs.”
Para 2 is extended analogy – purpose of explanation or clarification by Anthropologists in their study by dividing novel into 3 stages of Naomi journey:
First (chapter 1 to 11) secure and safe position in society;
Second (chapter 12 to 32), getting separate from secure and safe position to ghost town;
Third (chapter 33 to 39), re-gain the lost history status, reconciles herself with her history
Para 3: is support by brief example, as mentioned in the passage,
“In one example of such symbolism, Naomi’s reacquaintance with her past is compared with
the biblical story of turning stone into bread.
The bundle of documents—which Kogawa refers to as “stone-hard facts”
—brings Naomi to the recognition of her country’s abuse of her people.
But implicit in these hard facts, Kogawa suggests, is also the “bread” of a spiritual sustenance
that will allow Naomi to affirm the durability of her people and herself”
Only answer E is correct
(E) Two points are made about a novel,
the first supported with an extended analogy, - Para 2
the second supported with a brief example - Para 3
3. It can be inferred that the heroism Naomi gains in the course of Obasan is manifested in her
(A) reconciliation with her past
Correct: as mentioned in the passage,
“In chapters 33–39 this surrogate family nurtures Naomi as
she develops toward a final integration with the larger society and with herself:
as an adult, when she receives a bundle of family documents and letters from her aunt,
Naomi breaks through the personal and cultural screens of silence and secretiveness
that have enshrouded her past, and reconciles herself with her history.
(B) careful deployment of structure and symbol
Wrong: this was for Naomi journey of heroic transformation, as mentioned in the passage,
“Through the careful deployment of structure and symbol, Kogawa thus manages to turn Naomi’s experience into a journey of heroic transformation and a critique of the majority culture”
(C) relationship with her surrogate family Wrong: This is part of Chapters 12–32 chronicle the fall into alienation
(D) renewal of her religious beliefs Wrong: Out of scope
(E) denunciation of the majority culture Wrong: not about analysis or criticism of majority culture
4. According to the anthropologists cited by the author,
rites of passage are best described by which one of the following sequences of stages?
Explanation: as mentioned in the passage,
“According to these anthropologists, a rite of passage
- begins with separation from a position of security in a highly structured society;
- proceeds to alienation in a deathlike state where one is stripped of status, property, and rank;
concludes with reintegration into society accompanied by a heightened status gained
(B) separation, alienation, reintegration – Correct
5. According to the passage, the agent of Naomi’s reconciliation with her past is
Explanation: as mentioned in the passage, the agent which Naomi’s reconciliation with her past is,
“In chapters 33–39 this surrogate family nurtures Naomi as she develops toward a final integration with the larger society and with herself:
as an adult, when she receives a bundle of family documents and letters from her aunt”
(E) her receipt of documents and letters - Correct
6. The passage suggests that
Joy Kogawa believes which one of the following about the society
that shuns Naomi?
Explanation: as mentioned in the passage,
“Kogawa’s use of motifs drawn from Christian rituals and symbols forms a subtle critique of the professed ethics of the majority culture that has shunned Naomi.”
(A) It discouraged its citizens from seeking out their heritage – Wrong: Irrelevant
(B) It endeavoured to thwart its citizens’ attempts at heroic transformation – Wrong: Not concern
(C) It violated its own supposed religious ethics by doing so – Correct: as mentioned in the passage
(D) It prohibited its citizens from participating in rites of passage – Wrong: Out of scope
(E) It demanded that loyalty to the government replace loyalty to the family – Wrong: Out of Scope
7. Based on the passage, which one of the following aspects of
Kogawa’s work does the author of the passage appear to value most highly?
Explanation: as mentioned in the passage,
“Although the experience depicted in Obasan is mainly one of dislocation,
Kogawa employs subtle techniques that serve
to emphasize her major character’s heroism and
to critique the majority culture”
(A) her willingness to make political statements – Wrong: not about pollical tone
(B) her imaginative development of characters – Wrong: not about development of imaginative character
(C) her subtle use of literary techniques
Correct: Google meaning for Literary techniques are specific, deliberate constructions of language
which an author uses to convey meaning, for Kogawa, its to emphasize and to critique
(D) her knowledge of Christian rituals and symbols– Wrong: Out of scope
(E) her objectivity in describing Naomi’s tragic life
– Wrong: Trap! As intended meaning of passage revolves around describing Naomi’s tragic life.