Text 1 In the field of biography, strict objectivists maintain that a writer must limit their narrative exclusively to verifiable facts found in archival records. Any attempt to describe a subject’s internal thoughts or emotions—unless explicitly written down by the subject—is viewed as a fictionalization. These critics assert that speculating on a subject’s feelings undermines the historical integrity of the work, transforming it from a history into a novel.
Text 2 Biographer Elena Vance contends that a reliance solely on external data produces a "hollow" portrait that fails to capture the human essence of the subject. Vance argues that to truly understand historical figures, a writer must engage in "empathetic inference," using context to interpret how a subject likely felt during pivotal moments. Without this interpretive layer, the biography offers only a chronology of events, failing to explain the motivations that drove those events.
Based on the texts, how would Vance (Text 2) most likely respond to the strict objectivists in Text 1?
By arguing that inferring a subject's internal state is necessary to provide a complete and meaningful understanding of their life
By acknowledging that speculation leads to fiction but asserting that readers prefer novels over dry historical accounts
By suggesting that objectivists are hypocritical because they also use speculation in their own personal lives
By contending that archival records are often forged, making them a less reliable source than the author’s intuition
Correct Answer: A
Choice A is the best answer. Text 1 claims that relying on anything other than verifiable facts makes a biography "fiction." Text 2 argues that facts alone create a "hollow" portrait and that "empathetic inference" (interpreting feelings) is necessary to understand the "human essence" and motivations. Thus, Vance would respond that inference is required to make the biography meaningful, contrary to the objectivists' view.
Choice B is incorrect because Vance does not concede that her method leads to fiction; she argues it leads to a truer understanding. Choice C is incorrect because the texts do not discuss the personal lives of the critics. Choice D is incorrect because Vance’s argument is about the interpretation of facts, not the authenticity of the records.