June 2007, Passage 1, Setup
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PrepTest 123 (June 2007), RC2, Passage 1
Summary
The passage provides an insightful exploration into the traditional division between poetry and fiction in the United States, highlighting the evolving perspectives that challenge this separation.
- The passage begins by establishing the conventional division between poetry and fiction in the United States, rooted in academia and broader cultural attitudes.
- It presents the traditional reasons for this division, with poetry associated with thoughts and feelings, and fiction with narratives and characters.
- The author questions the necessity of such a strict divide, pointing to a cultural suspicion of generalists as a contributing factor.
- The narrative shifts to the author's view that this division is diminishing, exemplified by the work of writer Rita Dove, who blends elements of both genres in her work.
- Rita Dove is presented as a case study, not the central argument, but as evidence of the broader trend towards the merging of poetry and fiction.
Chapters
00:04
The Traditional Division
00:41
Cultural Attitudes Towards Genre
01:11
The Evolving Perspective
01:39
Rita Dove: A Case Study