PT158.S1.P2.Q12

PrepTest 158 - Section 1 - Passage 2 - Question 12

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P1

Native American stories often feature a character called the trickster, a comic figure who has both mortal weaknesses and supernatural powers. ███

Trickster · Native American comic figure
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"Trickster" · Term has been applied to the picaro of European literature
Both are heroes; live on the peripheries of society; are morally flawed
P2

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Main Point · Applying "trickster" to picaro obscures essential differences
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Premise · Picaro satirizes society
Picaro is human. He indulges in vices which enrages society. He is authentic. He acts as foil to society to reveal its hypocrisy. Society marginalizes him because he is viewed as dangerous.
P3

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Premise · Trickster does not satirize society
Trickster serves as moral instruction: do not behave like the trickster. Trickster is animal; lives in world of myth; flaws are the trickster's own, not the society's; is a comic figure and socially marginalized because he is fundamentally antisocial. Trickster only makes himself look bad.
P4

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Sub-Premise · Example of a trickster fable
Coyote trickster embodies a moral lesson: reaching beyond proper limits will result in negative consequences.
Passage Style
Critique or debate
Show answer
12.

In the context of the ████████ █████ ███ ██ ███ █████████ ████ ██████████ ████████ ███ ███████ ██ ███ ████ ██████████████ ██ ███ ██████ ██ ███ ██████ ██████████

a

conforming to an ████████

It’s not clear that the picaro conforms to “an original” or what “an original” refers to.

3%
b

having certain essential ████████

We have no reason to think “authenticity” means something about “essential features.” We’re not told the picaro has anything “essential.”

5%
c

behaving as others ██

This doesn’t capture the meaning, because the picaro doesn’t behave as others do. The picaro openly engaged in vices. Others don’t engage in vices openly. In any case, even if you think openly engaging in vices and secretly engaging in vices still constitutes “behaving as others do,” (C) still isn’t correct, because “authenticity” relates more to the difference between the picaro and others. The picaro is authentic because they’re engaging in vices openly; other people are inauthentic because they’re engaging in vices secretly.

8%
d

inspiring absolute trust

It’s not clear why “authenticity” would have anything to do with inspiring trust.

1%
e

following one's natural ████████████

This is the best answer. The picaro “yields to his own roguish, though innocent impulses” and engages in vices openly. We can characterize this as the picaro following his own natural tendencies or urges.

84%

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