Specific Questions Featuring the Except Structure - LSAT Reading

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Feminist literary criticism is literary criticism informed by feminist theory, or more broadly by the politics of feminism. Its history has been widespread and varied, from classic works of nineteenth-century women authors such as George Eliot and Margaret Fuller, to cutting-edge theoretical work in women's studies and gender studies by "third-wave" authors. In the most general and simple terms, feminist literary criticism before the 1970s—in the first and second waves of feminism—was concerned with the politics of women's authorship and the representation of women's condition within literature, including the depiction of fictional female characters. In addition, feminist criticism was further concerned with the exclusion of women from the western literary canon – an exclusion that most feminist critics suggest is due to the views of women authors not being considered universal.

Since the development of more complex conceptions of gender and subjectivity and third-wave feminism, modern feminist literary criticism has taken a variety of new routes, namely in the tradition of the Frankfurt School's critical theory. It has considered gender in the terms of Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysis, as part of the deconstruction of existing relations of power, and as a concrete political investment. It has also been closely associated with the birth and growth of gay studies. The more traditionally central feminist concern with the representation and politics of women's lives has continued to play an active role in criticism. More specifically, modern feminist criticism deals with those issues related to the patriarchal programming within key aspects of society including education, politics, and the work force.

Recently, Lisa Tuttle has defined feminist theory as asking "new questions of old texts." Consequently she cites the following as the primary goals of feminist criticism: \ to uncover a female tradition of writing; to interpret symbolism of women's writing so that it will not be lost or ignored by the male point of view; to analyze women writers and their writings from a female perspective; to examine sexism in literature; and to increase awareness of the sexual politics of language and style. Only through such analysis, she argues, can a proper view of feminist criticism be framed moving forward.

According to the passage, all of the following are considered new routes of modern feminist literary criticism EXCEPT:

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Answer

As with most harder specific style questions, the primary difficulty comes from wordplay and/or precision in wording. First, you should locate where these issues are discussed. The second paragraph starts with “modern feminist literary criticism has taken a variety of new routes, namely in the tradition of the Frankfurt School's critical theory” so you would expect to find each of these after that. "viewing gender in terms of Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysis.", "deconstructing existing relations of power in relation to gender.", and "regarding gender as a tangible political contribution." are each found quite easily in the second sentence of the paragraph so you know none of those is correct. For "focusing on the representation and politics of women’s lives.", it will first seem that this is also in the paragraph as two sentences later you find: “The more traditionally central feminist concern with the representation and politics of women's lives has continued to play an active role in criticism.” But if you read carefully you see that this is NOT new (a requirement in the question stem) because of the words “has continued.” As a result "focusing on the representation and politics of women’s lives." is correct. For "scrutinizing gender in the tradition of the Frankfurt School’s critical theory.", in the opening sentence of the paragraph it states that the new routes are in the tradition of the Frankfurt School’s critical theory so this is found in the passage. Correct answer is "focusing on the representation and politics of women’s lives.".

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