Set 6: Cross-Text Connections (Advanced)
Explanation
PASSAGE
Text 1 The concept of the 'Death of the Author', proposed by Roland Barthes, argues that a writer's intentions and biography are irrelevant to the interpretation of their text. The meaning of a work is created solely by the reader. Text 2 However, in post-colonial literature, the author's identity is often central to the text's political power. To ignore the provenance of a voice speaking back to empire is to strip the work of its specific historical resistance, re-colonizing the narrative.
How does Text 2 challenge the application of the theory in Text 1?
Detailed Answer Explanation
This question asks you to compare perspectives from two passages. Text 1: Author irrelevant. Text 2: Identity central to power/resistance. Challenge: Application to post-colonial depoliticizes/harms. Understanding how the authors relate to each other's views is essential. Identify whether they agree, disagree, or address different aspects of the topic. Focus on their specific claims and conclusions. When comparing texts, first identify each author's thesis or main argument. Then determine how these positions interact: do they complement each other, contradict each other, or address different aspects of the same issue? The relationship between texts reveals deeper meaning.
Key Evidence:
• "irrelevant"
• "identity is often central"
• "strip ... of its ... resistance"
Why others are wrong: C (No.), B (Says central.), A (No.).
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