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Difficulty: HardLiterary Allusions and Their Functions

Read the following passage carefully before choosing your answer:

Miriam watched the directors file into the boardroom, their faces smooth with the unbothered calm of men who believed history began and ended with the fiscal year. For months, she had presented them with charts of the shifting foundation, yet her presentations were met with the polite, glazing eyes reserved for eccentric relatives. She was their Cassandra, tolerated only because her warnings of ruin provided a stable background hum against which their optimism could sound more robust. Now, as the first hairline fracture appeared in the plaster behind the chairman’s head, Miriam felt no urge to shout. The prophecy was no longer a burden to be shared, but a private estate she inhabited alone.

Which of the following best describes the function of the allusion to Cassandra in the passage?

  1. A
    It recounts the chronological sequence of events leading from Miriam's initial presentations to the appearance of the fracture
  2. It highlights the directors' tendency to utilize Miriam's warnings as a foil to reinforce their own self-assuranceAnswer
  3. C
    It suggests that Miriam's predictions are driven by supernatural premonitions rather than concrete geological evidence
  4. D
    It conveys the author's moral condemnation of the directors' short-sighted business practices
  5. E
    It portrays Miriam as a tragic figure whose primary motivation is to seek revenge on the directors for their past condescension

Answer

The allusion to Cassandra functions to highlight the directors' tendency to utilize Miriam's warnings as a foil to reinforce their own self-assurance.
The correct answer identifies that the directors tolerate Miriam's warnings of ruin because it provides a background against which their own optimism seems stronger, meaning her role as an ignored prophet (Cassandra) serves as a foil to reinforce their complacency.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the allusion and retrieve its literary and mythological context.
The text refers to Miriam as 'their Cassandra,' referencing the mythological Trojan princess who was cursed to speak accurate prophecies that no one would believe.
Establishing the target of the allusion is necessary to evaluate its metaphorical meaning in the text.
2
Analyze the relational dynamics surrounding the allusion within the passage.
The text indicates that the directors tolerate Miriam's presence specifically because her warnings provide a background contrast ('stable background hum') that makes their own optimism appear 'more robust.'
Examining how the characters interact with the allusion explains its structural function in framing the conflict.
3
Connect the relational dynamics to the core theme of corporate complacency and isolation.
Rather than merely ignoring her, the directors actively co-opt Miriam's role as a prophet of doom to bolster their own confidence, highlighting the irony of her isolation and their complacency.
This synthesizes the analysis to identify the option that best describes the allusion's analytical function.

Key Concept

Literary Allusions and Their Functions
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Literary Allusions and Their Functions

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