Mary McCarthy

 A critical consensus has emerged that Mary McCarthy will be remembered primarily as an

essayist rather than as a novelist. But despite her formidable gifts as a polemical and

discursive writer, and for all her reputation as an intellectual who sacrificed feeling to

intelligence, what powers McCarthy’s best essays are her fictional rather than strictly

intellectual gifts. She makes her points by telling stories or by way of vivid description,

arresting images and subtle characterization. And for all her exacting sense of fact,

McCarthy’s greatest contribution was to blur the distinctions between different kinds of prose

writing: to show how fiction could be opened up to the thinking mind and how essays could

profit from the techniques of fiction.


For the following question, consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply.

1. The author of the passage suggests that Mary McCarthy’s writing is characterized by

A. The use in her essays of devices more typical in works of fiction

B. A narrowing of the differences between narrative and expository prose

C. Careful attention to factual accuracy.

2. In the context in which it appears, “discursive” most nearly means

A. prolific

B. sophistic

C. rambling

D. analytical

E. circuitous



1: consensus--M as an essayist rather than novelist

2: author-- but what powers her essays are her fictional gift

   rather than essayist (polemical and discursive--gift--intelligence)

3: supported evidence: stories, description, images and characterization

4: addition evidence: blur distinction between prose writing

   (fiction--with thinking; essays with tech from fic.)


For the following question, consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply.

1. The author of the passage suggests that Mary McCarthy’s writing is characterized by

A. The use in her essays of devices more typical in works of fiction

(essays with tech from fiction)

B. A narrowing of the differences between narrative and expository prose

(blur the difference between ...)

C. Careful attention to factual accuracy.

(description/ the characteristics of essays--nonfiction)


2. In the context in which it appears, “discursive” most nearly means

A. prolific

B. sophistic

C. rambling

D. analytical

E. circuitous

 essayist (polemical and discursive--gift--intelligence)

discursive should be one  of the essays' features-- actual fact

polemical: arguing very strongly for against a belief and opinion


But still feel confused about this choice...

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