Early critics of Emily Dickinson's poetry mistook for simple-mindedness the surface of artlessness that in fact she constructed with such BLANK. Select the two answer choices that, when substituted for the BLANK, fit the context and produce the two sentences most nearly alike in meaning.
(A) astonishment
(B) craft
(C) cunning
(D) innocence
(E) na¨ıvet´e
(F) vexation
(A) astonishment
(B) craft
(C) cunning
(D) innocence
(E) na¨ıvet´e
(F) vexation
Show Hint
Solution and Explanation
This sentence equivalence question is built on a contrast between appearance and reality. The word for the blank must describe the true nature of Dickinson's method, which is the opposite of the "simple-mindedness" that critics perceived.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The key phrases are "mistook" and "in fact." The critics were wrong. What appeared to be "simple-mindedness" and "artlessness" was actually a "constructed" surface. The act of constructing something to look artless requires skill, deliberation, and cleverness. Therefore, the blank needs words that mean "skill" or "cleverness."
Analyzing the Options:
(B) craft: This word means skill and expertise in an artistic practice. To construct something with craft implies great skill and intention, which directly contradicts the idea of simple-mindedness.
(C) cunning: This word means having skill in achieving one's ends, often by deceit. Since Dickinson's "artlessness" was a constructed illusion, "cunning" fits well, highlighting the deceptive skill involved.
The other options are incorrect:
(A) astonishment / (F) vexation: These are emotions and do not describe a quality of construction.
(D) innocence / (E) naïveté: These words describe the very qualities the critics mistakenly saw. They are the opposite of what is needed to describe how the surface was constructed.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Both "craft" and "cunning" describe the high level of skill and deliberate artistry Dickinson used to create a surface that appeared simple, fitting the sentence's contrast between perception and reality.
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