"I want to criticize the social system, and to show it at work, at its

Question

"I want to criticize the social system, and to show it at work, at its most intense." Virginia Woolf's provocative statement about her intentions in writing Mrs. Dalloway has regularly been ignored by the critics since it highlights an aspect of her literary interests very different from the traditional picture of the "poetic" novelist concerned with examining states of reverie and vision and with following the intricate pathways of individual consciousness. But Virginia Woolf was a realistic as well as a poetic novelist, a satirist and social critic as well as a visionary: literary critics' cavalier dismissal of Woolf's social vision will not withstand scrutiny. In her novels, Woolf is deeply engaged by the questions of how individuals are shaped (or de-formed) by their social environments, how historical forces impinge on people's lives, how class, wealth, and gender help to determine people's fates. Most of her novels are rooted in a realistically rendered social setting and in a precise historical time.

Woolf's focus on society has not been generally recognized because of her intense antipathy to propaganda in an. The pictures of reformers in her novels are usually satiric or sharply critical. Even when Woolf is fundamentally sympathetic to their causes, she portrays people anxious to reform their society and possessed of a message or program as arrogant or dishonest, unaware of how their political ideas serve their own psychological needs. (Her Writer's Diary notes: "the only honest people are the artists," whereas "these social reformers and philanthropists ... harbor ... discreditable desires under the disguise of loving their kind....") Woolf detested what she called "preaching" in fiction, too, and criticized novelist D. H. Lawrence (among others) for working by this method.

Woolf's own social criticism is expressed in the language of observation rather than in direct commentary since for her, fiction is a contemplative, not an active art. She describes phenomena and provides materials for a judgment about society and social issues: it is the reader's work to put the observations together and understand the coherent point of view behind them. As a moralist, Woolf works by indirection, subtly undermining officially accepted mores, mocking, suggesting, calling into question, rather than asserting, advocating, bearing witness: hen is the satirist's art. Woolf's literary models were acute social observers like Chekhov and Chaucer. As she put it in The Common Reader, "It is safe to say that not a single law has been framed or one stone set upon another because of anything Chaucer said or wrote; and yet, as we read him, we are absorbing morality at every pore." Like Chaucer, Woolf chose to understand as well as to judge, to know her society root and branch—a decision crucial in order to produce art rather than polemic.   1 
 1. Which of the following would be the most appropriate title for the passage?

(A) Poetry and Satire as Influences on the Novels of Virginia Woolf 
(B) Virginia Woolf: Critic and Commentator on the Twentieth-Century Novel 
(C) Trends in Contemporary Reform Movements as a Key to Understanding Virginia Woolf's Novels 
(D) Society as Allegory for the Individual in the Novels of Virginia Woolf 
(E) Virginia Woolf's Novels: Critical Reflections on the Individual and on Society

2 
 2. In the first paragraph of the passage, the author's attitude toward the literary critics mentioned can best be described as

(A) disparaging 
(B) ironic 
(C) facetious 
(D) skeptical but resigned 
(F) disappointed but hopeful

3 
 3. It can be inferred from the passage that Woolf chose Chaucer as a literary model because she believed that

(A) Chaucer was the first English author to focus on society as a whole as well as on individual characters 
(B) Chaucer was an honest and forthright author, whereas novelists like D. H. Lawrence did not sincerely wish to change society 
(C) Chaucer was more concerned with understanding his society than with calling its accepted mores into question 
(D) Chaucer's writing was great, if subtly, effective in influencing the moral attitudes of his readers 
(E) her own novels would be more widely read if, like Chaucer, she did not overtly and vehemently criticize contemporary society

4 
 4. It can be inferred from the passage that the most probable reason Woolf realistically described the social setting in the majority of her novels was that she

(A) was aware that contemporary literary critics considered the novel to be the most realistic of literary genres 
(B) was interested in the effect of a person's social milieu on his or her character and actions 
(C) needed to be as attentive to detail as possible in her novels in order to support the arguments she advanced in them 
(D) wanted to show that a painstaking fidelity in the representation of reality did not in any way hamper the artist 
(E) wished to prevent critics from charging that her novels were written in an ambiguous and inexact style

5 
 5. Which of the following phrases best expresses the sense of the word "contemplative" as it is used in lines 43-44 of the passage?

(A) Gradually elucidating the rational structures underlying accepted more 
(B) Reflecting on issues in society without prejudice or emotional commitment 
(C) Avoiding the aggressive assertion of the author's perspective to the exclusion of the reader's judgment 
(D) Conveying a broad view of society as a whole rather than focusing on an isolated individual consciousness 
(E) Appreciating the world as the artist sees it rather than judging it in moral terms

6 
 6. The author implies that a major element of the satirist's art is the satirist's

(A) consistent adherence to a position of lofty disdain when viewing the foibles of humanity 
(B) insistence on the helplessness of individuals against the social forces that seek to determine an individual's fate 
(C) cynical disbelief that visionaries can either enlighten or improve their societies 
(D) fundamental assumption that some ambiguity must remain in a work of art in order for it to reflect society and social mores accurately 
(E) refusal to indulge in polemic when present-ing social mores to readers for their scrutiny

7 
 7. The passage supplies information for answering which of the following questions?

(A) Have literary critics ignored the social criticism inherent in the works of Chekhov and Chaucer? 
(B) Does the author believe that Woolf is solely an introspective and visionary novelist? 
(C) What are the social causes with which Woolf shows herself to be sympathetic in her writings? 
(D) Vas D. H. Lawrence as concerned as Woolf was with creating realistic settings for his novels?
(E) Does Woolf attribute more power to social environment or to historical forces as shapers of a person's life?

srinjoy1990 · Answer

carcass  : Can you please post the answer key to question number 5   ? I got 2 incorrect. I got the error for one, just had no clue about the 5th question, which according me is the toughest of the lot.

I found the content the facts very dense, though was able to discern the main idea, scope, tone.

Overall 14 mins, with around 4mins to read.

Btw, what is the source of the RC ?

Thanx,

Carcass · Answer

Guys on the GMAT usually Short passages have 3 questions and the longer 4. This is a GRE passage that I love for two main reasons

They are really dense and well written. They are official source so you can bet on them. Moreover, they help you to train at its finest for the test. 
 They are even more convoluted than GMAT passages because of GRE stress a lot on the verbal side of the test, meanwhile GMAT more on quant

I would say from 2 to 4 minutes for the longest passages to read head down, and from 30 seconds to 90 seconds to answer each question you face oof.

So, make the count. 8 minutes at most  on average

Ask if you need further assistance.

Regards

Carcass · Answer

The passage says

Which means that is the reader makes the observations, so is contemplative and not aggressive.

Always try to figure out the contexts in which the question is asking: maybe you can find the answer slightly before where is the real gist of the question or just a bit after.

Ask if something is unclear to you

Harsh9676 · Answer

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the most probable reason Woolf realistically described the social setting in the majority of her novels was that she

This is a direct question:

The reference is from Paragraph 1 - "In her novels, Woolf is deeply engaged by the questions of how individuals are shaped (or de-formed) by their social environments, how historical forces impinge on people's lives, how class, wealth, and gender help to determine people's fates. Most of her novels are rooted in a realistically rendered social setting and in a precise historical time."

(A) was aware that contemporary literary critics considered the novel to be the most realistic of literary genres >> The influence of critics on Wolf's writings is no where mentioned in the passage.
(B) was interested in the effect of a person's social milieu on his or her character and actions >> Correct - In line with the reference
(C) needed to be as attentive to detail as possible in her novels in order to support the arguments she advanced in them >> Not mentioned anywhere in the passage
(D) wanted to show that a painstaking fidelity in the representation of reality did not in any way hamper the artist >> Out of scope
(E) wished to prevent critics from charging that her novels were written in an ambiguous and inexact style >> The intention of showing social setting is not to prevent critics from charging anything.

5. Which of the following phrases best expresses the sense of the word "contemplative" as it is used in lines 43-44 of the passage?

The reference is from Last paragraph: Woolf's own social criticism is expressed in the language of observation rather than in direct commentary since for her, fiction is a contemplative, not an active art. She describes phenomena and provides materials for a judgment about society and social issues: it is the reader's work to put the observations together and understand the coherent point of view behind them. As a moralist, Woolf works by indirection, subtly undermining officially accepted mores, mocking, suggesting, calling into question, rather than asserting, advocating, bearing witness: hen is the satirist's art.

(A) Gradually elucidating the rational structures underlying accepted more > Wolf goes opposite to the accepted mores. So she never actually explains the structures of the accepted more - Opposite
(B) Reflecting on issues in society without prejudice or emotional commitment >> This is Opposite again. She expresses accepted more in a an undermining tone - so She is subjective & emotional.
(C) Avoiding the aggressive assertion of the author's perspective to the exclusion of the reader's judgment >> Correct - As the passage says wolf provides the material to frame perspectives.
(D) Conveying a broad view of society as a whole rather than focusing on an isolated individual consciousness >> Not mentioned
(E) Appreciating the world as the artist sees it rather than judging it in moral terms >> She did undermine the accepted more.

6. The author implies that a major element of the satirist's art is the satirist's

The reference is same as for Q5.

(A) consistent adherence to a position of lofty disdain when viewing the foibles of humanity >> Undermining <> consistent disdain
(B) insistence on the helplessness of individuals against the social forces that seek to determine an individual's fate <> Extreme & out of context - The passage merely said that the society influences people but this answer choice goes on to say that the people are helpless.
(C) cynical disbelief that visionaries can either enlighten or improve their societies >> Out of Context
(D) fundamental assumption that some ambiguity must remain in a work of art in order for it to reflect society and social mores accurately >> Out of context
(E) refusal to indulge in polemic when present-ing social mores to readers for their scrutiny > Correct

Hope this helps.

Thanks
Harsh

arya251294 · Answer

Spent 14 mins, got Q1-Q5 right , Q6 & Q7 wrong.

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

For title, you always chose the answer that covers the entire passage, the entire passage talks about VW & her approach in her writings, how that was revolving around society as a whole, thus option E.

2. In the first paragraph of the passage, the author's attitude toward the literary critics mentioned can best be described as

iterary critics' cavalier dismissal of Woolf's social vision will not withstand scrutiny.[\b] In P1 author mentions this which means that he is trying to disregard the literary critic's criticism of Woolf, therefore [b]disparaging[\b]

[b]3. It can be inferred from the passage that Woolf chose Chaucer as a literary model because she believed that

3. It can be inferred from the passage that Woolf chose Chaucer as a literary model because she believed that

The last para clearly mentions that - 
 "It is safe to say that not a single law has been framed or one stone set upon another because of anything Chaucer said or wrote; and yet, as we read him, we are absorbing morality at every pore."  
Chaucer's writings were making the readers to look at the moral angles therefore (D)

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the most probable reason Woolf realistically described the social setting in the majority of her novels was that she

she was more focused on looking at the affects of social environment on people's life, as mentioned in the P1 as well - 
 "Most of her novels are rooted in a realistically rendered social setting and in a precise historical time.

5. Which of the following phrases best expresses the sense of the word "contemplative" as it is used in lines 43-44 of the passage?  
This was pretty straight forward, the word contemplative itself means weighing-out-different-alternatives or looking for different answers, this is exactly what this word id doing here, asking readers to not just read and believe what is written but be contemplative about it.
Woolf just shares observations -  "it is the reader's work to put the observations together and understand the coherent point of view behind them"

Q6 & Q7 I got wrong but after a second look I could see why the OA is right.

Too much to write here, if there is any clarification in the above answers please comment.
Hope this helps.

swan17 · Answer

bm2201

Could you please add explanation for Q7?

I chose the answer E

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Read the lines from the passage:

"Virginia Woolf's provocative statement about her intentions in writing Mrs. Dalloway has regularly been ignored by the critics since it highlights an aspect of her literary interests very different from the traditional picture of the "poetic" novelist concerned with examining states of reverie and vision and with following the intricate pathways of individual consciousness."

"But Virginia Woolf was a realistic as well as a poetic novelist, a satirist and social critic as well as a visionary: literary critics' cavalier dismissal of Woolf's social vision will not withstand scrutiny."

B  is correct according to para 1. There is no comparison made in  paragraph 1  that is why  E  is wrong.

Answer: A

prakharpandeylaw · Answer

carcass   Sajjad1994  in question 7, option B says "solely...". isnt that very limited in scope to what the passages says?

But Virginia Woolf was a  realistic  as well as a  poetic  novelist, a  satirist  and  social critic  as well as a  visionary : literary critics' cavalier dismissal of Woolf's social vision will not withstand scrutiny.

How should introspection be interpreted in the question?

Carcass · Answer

The question is

Is Woolf ONLY a novelist? or is she something else that we did not recognize before ?

"I want to criticize the social system, and to show it at work, at its most intense."  Virginia Woolf's  provocative statement about her intentions in writing Mrs. Dalloway has regularly been ignored by the critics since it highlights an aspect of   her literary interests very different from the traditional picture of the "poetic" novelist concerned with examining states of reverie and vision and with following the intricate pathways of individual consciousness .

The bold portion means she has NOT only an interest to discern  the intricate pathways of individual consciousness

But Virginia Woolf was a realistic as well as poetic novelist, a satirist, and social critic as well as a visionary:

literary critics' cavalier dismissal of Woolf's social vision will not withstand scrutiny.  In her novels,

1) Woolf is deeply engaged by the questions of how individuals are shaped (or de-formed) by their social environments, 
2) how historical forces impinge on people's lives, how class, wealth, 
3) and gender help to determine people's fates.

She was interested in 3 things and NOT just in novel

Most of her novels are rooted in a realistically rendered social setting and in a precise historical time.

She had a deep understanding I would say, prosaically, of what was going on at the time. She WAS NOT ONLY a simple novelist

I hope this helps

VerbalBot · Answer

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