Passage Discussion

[osullivanliamd]

I just finished Chapter 4 of the RC Study Guide and annotated the Greek Tragic Drama passage. I haven't seen any of the questions for this passage, but I read with the intent of discerning the two (or three, in this case) opposing arguments of a passage in addition to locating the author's opinion. This passage threw me for a loop in that I couldn't find the author's opinion! Can someone help me out? This may very well be one of those curveball passages, as evidenced by the three opposing views, but I wanted to make sure of it.

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

You've got it! There's no author's opinion here. It's not a curveball that comes up all that often, though consistently. You'll see it happen in other passages as well.

And noticing this is exactly how'll you make the decision between answer choices (C) and (D) in Q14. Answer choice (D) would imply that the author has an opinion, whereas answer choice (C) does not. So it's important you identify that the author is not advocating for any of the three views (four if you count Barbu's) discussed in the passage.

Nice work!

[hnadgauda]

Para 1: Snell and Barbu think that tragic Greek dramas show the emergence of the concept of individuality in ancient Greek civilization.

Para 2: Rivier thinks Snell is misguided! Rivier thinks the protagonist is always influenced by supernatural forces so the choices he/she makes are not so much choices as they are the only possible path forward.

Para 3: Lesky disagrees with both views stated above (1. dramas show individuality, 2. dramas show gods control everything). Lesky concludes that the actions taken in dramas are due to BOTH the protagonist's desires and superhuman forces.

Scale: dramas show free choice vs. dramas show gods control everything and free choice is a sham vs. dramas show that protagonist's desires and the god's desires result in the choices that are made