Q10

[kylelitfin]

Alright, I'm having major issues with question 10. My main problem is I keep eliminating all the answer choices.

I can see how B is the LEAST reprehensible answer choice, but I'm confused as to how it is correct.

Where in this passage does it ever state (in relation to color) or elsewhere that Bearden is even remotely interesting in anything politically motivated?

The only thing that I can think of that makes answer choice B correct is to exclude the political choice option completely.

B). Technical elements such as color can be effectively used to convey social or political messages.

Am I to just rule out the political message part and go with the social side of the or statement? The passage does suggest that colors "served as symbols of the psychological effects of debilitating social processes." So the social part of the answer is spot on... but the political portion is just killing me.

Thanks so much!

[giladedelman]

Good question!

Consider your lesson learned: do not let perfect be the enemy of good! That is, remember that we are always looking for the best, i.e., the least bad, answer. And in this case, (B) isn't even all that bad. As you say, we have explicit support for the "social" part. I would also suggest that the talk of "debilitating social processes" implies a kind of political awareness. But you're right, politics really isn't mentioned.

But we're not looking for the 100% airtight answer, we're looking for the answer that is most supported. Which one would Bearden most likely -- not absolutely, unquestionably, without a doubt, but most likely -- agree to?

Well,

(A) is out because the passage doesn't suggest that Bearden picked certain subjects expressly to highlight technical issues.

(C) is incorrect because although Bearden was interested in both the technical and the communicative aspects of art, the passage never says he valued one over the other.

(D) is flatly contradicted by the passage -- he did depict suffering and injustice.

(E) is contradicted as well -- Bearden's work is placed in contrast to the inadequacies of journalism and photography.

So those answers stink. On the other hand, we know that Bearden used technical elements such as color in the service of social commentary. So would he agree that such elements can be used to convey "social or political messages"? Yeah, probably -- and "probably" beats "definitely not" by a mile!

[kylelitfin]

Thank you for the timely response!

I completely see what you're saying. I tend to become overzealous in eliminating answer choices.

[lhermary]

I'm having a really hard time understanding why B is right here. I understand that it is right because of lines 39-40, but I'm having a hard time understanding why 'social message' equates to 'debilitating social processes.'

I quickly eliminated B,C,D and E and assumed A even though I wasn't confident about it.

Thanks

[lsat2016]

I'm having a really hard time understanding why B is right here. I understand that it is right because of lines 39-40, but I'm having a hard time understanding why 'social message' equates to 'debilitating social processes.'

I quickly eliminated B,C,D and E and assumed A even though I wasn't confident about it.

Thanks

Same. Could anyone help? ):

[maryadkins]

I'd say the second paragraph in its entirety is where we find support for (B), not just lines 39-40. Bearden conveyed social and political messages in his work..."express the complex social reality" and using colors in service of "symbols of the psychological effects of debilitating social processes." Doing such a thing is to convey a social message.