Literary critic: When a reader feels an emotion that is focused

Question

Literary critic: When a reader feels an emotion that is focused on the events and characters in a work of fiction, the reader is somewhat psychologically detached from that emotion. Lacking the immediacy of emotions about events in the reader’s own life, emotions evoked by fiction are enjoyed as pure sensations independent of ___1___. Consequently, the reader can find pleasure even in sadness when it is focused on the events and characters in fictional works, because the work’s beauty consists partly in its ability to evoke such ___2___.

ID: 700174

Maxsparrow · Accepted Answer

I think we need psychological detachment as well for Two Part Analysis!

The explanation in the beginning mentions that events and the emotions are independent of each other.
Hence

1. Lacking the immediacy of emotions about events in the reader’s own life, emotions evoked by fiction are enjoyed as pure sensations independent of ___1___ (Emotion already exist, then it is independent of the event, which is real life would make better sense over fictional event)

2. Consequently, the reader can find pleasure even in sadness when it is focused on the events and characters in fictional works, because the work’s beauty consists partly in its ability to evoke such ___2___. (event already exist to evoke emotions)

KarishmaB · Answer

For these fill in the blanks kind of questions, try to guess the answer yourself first without looking at options. What do you expect should come here.

Literary critic: When a reader feels an emotion that is focused on the events and characters in a work of fiction, the reader is somewhat psychologically detached from that emotion. Lacking the immediacy of emotions about events in the reader’s own life, emotions evoked by fiction are enjoyed as pure sensations independent of ___1___.

The sentence begins with "lacking the immediacy of emotions about events in own life..." It says that these emotions are not relatable to the reader's own life so they are enjoyed as sensations independent of ... and here I expect something to do with "reader's own life". Looking at the options I see "real events" is closest to it.
 ANSWER: real events

Consequently, the reader can find pleasure even in sadness when it is focused on the events and characters in fictional works, because the work’s beauty consists partly in its ability to evoke such ___2___.

So reader can find pleasure in sadness also (pleasure in unpleasant emotion) ... because the work's beauty is in its ability to evoke such ... Now I am looking for "unpleasant emotions." Why? Because "beauty in ..." should be parallel to "pleasure in sadness". Hence, "typically unpleasant emotions" works. 
 ANSWER: typically unpleasant emotions

chetan2u · Answer

Let us understand the para as doing so the solutions will become obvious.

The critic says that the reader does not personally feel the emotions exactly the way these are focused on the events and characters in a fictional works. The reason is the reader does not feel attached to those events.

1. Lacking the immediacy of emotions about events in the reader’s own life, emotions evoked by fiction are enjoyed as pure sensations independent of  ___1___ .
 The sensations are independent of ____.         The words event' in the reader's own life give away the answer. Other way to say this would be independent of real events. 
Also, the options give away the answer.  
beauty: Sensations independent of beauty. No, does not fit in
psychological detachment: The opposite could have fitted in - Sensations independent of attachment.
typically unpleasant emotions:  Emotions evoked by fiction  are enjoyed as pure sensations independent of  typically unpleasant emotions. 
fictional events: Emotions  evoked by fiction  are enjoyed as pure sensations independent of  fictional  events.
real events: Emotions  evoked by fiction  are enjoyed as pure sensations independent of  Real  events.
This fits in with our meaning.

2. Consequently, the reader can find pleasure even in sadness when it is focused on the events and characters in fictional works, because the work’s beauty consists partly in its ability to evoke such  ___2___ .
 The reader is finding pleasure even in sadness. The blank 2 is further talking of these emotions such as sadness, and the word that fits in from choices is  typically unpleasant emotions.

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Gemmie · Answer

The critic argues that emotions evoked by fiction are different from real-life emotions because they lack immediacy. They are enjoyed as pure sensations without being tied to real-world consequences.

Blank 1:The emotions are independent of  real events . This contrasts them with real-life emotions which are directly linked to real-world occurrences.

Blank 2: The beauty of fiction lies in its ability to evoke these pure, detached emotions. The work's beauty lies in its ability to evoke  emotions, even those typically unpleasant,  in a way that can be appreciated.

==> When a reader feels an emotion that is focused on the events and characters in a work of fiction, the reader is somewhat psychologically detached from that emotion. Lacking the immediacy of emotions about events in the reader’s own life, emotions evoked by fiction are enjoyed as pure sensations independent of  real events . Consequently, the reader can find pleasure even in sadness when it is focused on the events and characters in fictional works, because the work’s beauty consists partly in its ability to evoke such  typically unpleasant emotions .

amoeba99 · Answer

For the second blank, why not psychological detachment? It is clearly referenced in the passage earlier.

Bunuel · Answer

Blank 2 can’t be “psychological detachment” because detachment is the condition, not what’s evoked. The work evokes the emotions themselves, specifically “typically unpleasant emotions.”

keshubhturakhia · Answer

Before the second blank we have 'such' meaning it is referencing an emotion talked about before. The start of the line talks about how a reader can feel pleasure even through sadness it means the text has some pleasurable events going on that despite the readers real life sadness allows them to feel pleasure. So the beauty of the text is its ability to evoke such positive feelings. Thus 'typically unpleasant emotions' definitely doesnt fit the line, and so the next best option is 'psychological detachment'. Please explain if you could thanks.

Bunuel · Answer

“Such” refers to sadness, because the sentence says the reader can find pleasure even in sadness. So the work’s beauty lies in evoking an emotion that is usually unpleasant, not in evoking detachment.

“Psychological detachment” is the reason that sadness can be pleasurable here. It is not the thing being evoked.

keshubhturakhia · Answer

First part of the text says that sometimes while reading a reader feels certain emotions but these emotions are felt without such events actually taking place in the readers real life- basically saying reading allows you to have emotions seperate from what is going in your real life. Continuing this idea, after the first ____, it says that consequently the reader can find pleasure even in sadness when it is focused on the events..., which means that despite sadness in real life the reader can feel pleasure when focusing on the story, because the works beauty...

The entire point is that reading can make you feel things irrespective of your personal life and when they say 'pleasure despite sadness' it continues this point that irrespective of real life sadness you can feel pleasure while reading.

This is what my thought process was, please help if you can.

The entire point is that reading can make you feel things irrespective of your personal life and when they say 'pleasure despite sadness' it continues this point that irrespective of real life sadness you can feel pleasure while reading.

This is what my thought process was, please help if you can.

Bunuel · Answer

You are reading the sentence as “pleasure despite sadness in real life,” but that is not what it says. It says the reader can find pleasure even in sadness when that sadness is directed at fictional events and characters, so the sadness itself is what becomes pleasurable here.

That is why “typically unpleasant emotions” fits, while “psychological detachment” is only the reason those emotions can be enjoyed.

Sorry, I do not have anything further to add here.

keshubhturakhia · Answer

Okay i understood thank you. The pleasure is felt in general while reading even though sadness is being evoked, because that sadness is focused on the characters and not in the persons real life.

Any tips for how i could have made that understanding of this sentence?

Literary critic: When a reader feels an emotion that is focused

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1	2
		beauty
		psychological detachment
		typically unpleasant emotions
		fictional events
		real events

GMAT Two-part Analysis (TPA) Questions

­Literary critic: When a reader feels an emotion that is focused

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Literary critic: When a reader feels an emotion that is focused