Passage Discussion

[ganbayou]

Is this a reporting passage?
So there is no scale?
(I did see the author says "fotunately" in line 38 though)
If we will describe the last paragraph in one sentence, what it would be?

1st para: Context, background: Introducing choreographer and Dunham
2nd para: Reason why dance was neglected and why Dunhams approach was successful.
What Dunham did.
3rd para: continue Dunhams achievement and how her work was important in African American dance as an art form?

[ohthatpatrick]

Yeah, there's not much of a Scale here, so it feels more like a book report on Dunham. It's not totally neutral, since there are a few moments that reveal the author's voice. Your passage map looks good!

[ohthatpatrick]

Scale
There's no important Scale governing the whole passage, but there is "a scale" concerning whether a researcher should / shouldn't stay detached from what she's studying.

Author's VP/Purpose
To Highlight a Noteworthy Person

Important Lines (usually Author's view)

Line 1 - "one of the more striking developments".
Line 11-16 (Most Valuable Sentence): Dunham's special contribution is due to her unique background.
Line 31-33 - "Especially critical" was the fact that she got personally involved in what she was researching.
Line 55-58 - summarizing Dunham's legacy.

Paragraph 1
Intro to Dunham's special dance-isolation contribution, as well as thesis in 11-16.

Paragraph 2
Summarizing Dunham's unique training as dancer and anthropologist

Paragraph 3
Summarizing Dunham's unique methods (actually get involved and participate in the stuff you're studying)

Paragraph 4
Legacy of Dunham's research (helped establish AA dance as its own art form)

Takeaway/Pattern: In passages that are pretty straightforward and linear (the author is basically describing someone or something), the most important sentences are those that indicate the importance or distinctiveness of the person/thing being described.


#officialexplanation