<p>i picked puzzling fabricated.</p>
<p>but i still can honestly say im not sure and can see where both sides are coming from. in my honest opinion im swayed more to the enigmatic edifying side and am pretty sure that was the answer.... oh well.</p>
<p>For those who believe that enigmatic does not fit the context, here is the definition of enigma from dictionary.com:</p>
<p>"3. a saying, question, picture, etc., containing a hidden meaning; riddle."</p>
<p>Riddle :)</p>
<p>Also, the wording of the question is important. A history cannot be "fabricating," it can only be "fabricated," which was not the answer choice. Unfortunately, we don't have the wording of the question.</p>
<p>My take on it is this:</p>
<p>Of the first word selection: "puzzle" is much more apt, in that he knew there were scattered pieces of history which he needed to piece together correctly to create a coherent story. Both puzzle and riddle imply a process, one aiming to solve the given puzzle or riddle. "Enigmatic" is devoid of such meaning, it does not imply a solveable/understandable thing which necessitates a process, and is therefore less appropriate. It merely means mysterious. The focus of the passage is of the author's process of attempting to sovle the riddle, this is a VERY necessary part of the correct answer's definition.</p>
<p>As for the second word, which is the greater subject of debate. </p>
<p>A fable can be viewed a a purely fabricated story, it's only defining feature being its fabrication. Or, the other definition- "noun 1. a short tale to teach a moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate objects as characters; apologue: the fable of the tortoise and the hare; Aesop's fables."</p>
<p>I believe that fabrication is more appropriate-here's why.</p>
<p>Obviously, the "Chinese American Life" is not pure fabrication, however, the quotes do serve to cast doubts as to it's authenticity, perhaps the author feels that it has been distorted (glorified or modified, as stories often are)- maybe some parts of it fabricated. This corrorborates the first definition of fable, and matches it perfectly. Perhaps some parts of this Chinese experience are not "founded on fact". Now, rather than just dismissing the "grand narrative" as somewhat fabricated, and taking those embellisments/distortions for granted, he realizes there is a puzzle to be solved within it, pieces to be arranged, and fabrications to be dissolved.</p>
<p>The second denotation of fable is inappropriate for several reasons. First, the Chinese experience does not employ animals or inanimate objects- it is a historical, though distorted, narrative. Certainly not a fable in that sense. Furthermore, no unerlying moral lesson is hinted at, negating that aspect of the denotation. </p>
<p>To edify- "to instruct or benefit, ESPECIALLY. morally or spiritually; uplift: religious paintings that edify the viewer. "</p>
<p>This is a very poor word choice, as the author does not seek to be morally or spiritually instructed. Rather, he seeks objective truths and facts, a historical narrative does not edify- it educates, informs. The denotation of edify does NOT reinforce the notion that the fable fits the second definition.</p>
<p>Brilliant analysis deadmonkey34. I answered enigmatic - edifying but you have convinced me. I now believe the answer is puzzling - fabrication.</p>
<p>i can honestly accept both side's argument. It is just a matter of opinion and interpretation, it's all. I put fabrication as well, but i can also see edifying as well.</p>
<p>but deadmonkey did a great analysis, so i am feeling a bit more confident on my pick.</p>
<p>Enigma/edifying.</p>
<p>I'm not going to discuss it at length seeing as it's one CR point on a rather challenging CR section.</p>
<p>cogent, deadmoney, but not quite cogent enough for me :)</p>
<p>I really don't understand how you guys think that edifying makes sense in this context..but w/e.</p>
<p>for me it was..."puzzling/fabricating..." boommm....it just stood out to me...didn't overanalyze it.....we'll see june 26</p>
<p>I picked Puzzling/Fabrication and am confident that it is indeed the correct answer. Deadmonkey makes a great argument for Puzz/Fab and I honestly do not see any flaws in his argument.</p>
<p>a couple of things i disagree with on deadmonkey's analysis:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>your definition of fable. american heritage says it can be something that makes an "edifying or cautionary point." so, though there may be no MORAL lesson implied in the passage, there certainly is an "edifying or cautionary" point.</p></li>
<li><p>your definition of enigma. i don't think it implies ONLY mysterious, since i believe it can be defined as simply "a difficult problem." in either case, i think enigma or puzzle fits fine.</p></li>
<li><p>i don't quite see where the passage points to fabrications or questions the authenticity of the chinese american life. perhaps i'm missing something? i'm more convinced by the explanation which points to the edification that the author of the passage is searching for; the instruction or enlightenment.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Tammigiar-</p>
<p>You concede there may be no moral lesson, which undermines the second definition of fable. If you can't prove that definition, you lose the argument. And even if you can, my point was that edify does not apply, not that it doesn't work in tandem with the second defnition. </p>
<p>The second def. of fable disproves itself in context. Additionally, edify disproves it as well, seeing as how you MUST have the second definition of fable for edify to make sense in relation to fable, and, therefore, then must accept the denotation of edify. Edify does NOT make sense in the context of the story- the author did not originally presume the Chinese experience ot be edifying, he does not hint to ANY sort of moral, spiritual, or any type of instruction period. He merely seeks to piece it together, to be informed. To apply this informative process to "edify" is an enormous stretch.</p>
<p>Like alustrial, for me "puzzling..fabrication" just stood out.</p>
<p>@ deadmonkey:</p>
<p>i don't see how applying the informative process to "edify" is such an enormous stretch. perhaps i'm reading it totally incorrectly, but the impression i get when he speaks of "the grand narrative of 'the Chinese American experience'" is that of something edifying or enlightening, not something that may be apocryphal. i guess we'll have to wait until june 26th, though, to find out. :)</p>
<p>I actually think that this passage was more important for answering this question:</p>
<p>
[quote]
My knowledge of Baba's years in China and Taiwan is like a collection of souvenirs, but of souvenirs that don't belong to me. They evoke a milieu; they signify something. But sifting through them, I cannot be sure whether the story they tell is simply the story I've chosen to imagine. If I were a fiction writer, I could manipulate these scenes a hundred different ways. I could tell you a tale and pass it off as emblematic of Baba's childhood, of wartime China, of the Chinese condition. Even as an essayist, I impute significance to the scenes in a way that reveals as much about my own yearnings as it does about my father's. It is the Heisenberg principle of remembrance: the mere act of observing a memory changes that memory's meaning.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I believe this passage gives much evidence supporting the "enigma/edify" answer because he says he could impute significance to the scenes that reveal his own yearnings (producing an edifying story).</p>
<p>Fabricate doesn't really fit; here's what my Oxford Dictionary tells me:
[quote]
fabricate: invent or concoct, typically with deceitful intent
the right word: If you say that there was an accident in front of the post office that prevented you from finding a parking space and there really wasn't, fabricate is the correct verb, meaning that you've invented a false story or excuse without the harsh connotations of lie (: she fabricated an elaborate story about how they got lost on their way home).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>His story is certainly not fabricated; it is manipulated to promote a viewpoint that espouses the morals of the author. Fabrication would imply that his entire story is made up, not just his interpretations.</p>
<p>Again, when I answered this question, I used the passage I just supplied; I didn't even look very hard at the other paragraph. I decided "enigmatic..edifying" fit better.</p>
<p>Also, from the Oxford Dictionary (I love it!):
[quote]
the right word: An enigma is a statement whose meaning is hidden under obscure or ambiguous allusions, so that we can only guess at its significance; it can also refer to a person of puzzling or contradictory character (: he remained an enigma throughout his long career).
A puzzle is not necessarily a verbal statement, but it presents a problem with a particularly baffling solution or tests one's ingenuity or skill in coming up with a solution (: a crossword puzzle).
[/quote]
I think both of the first words fit well.</p>
<p>Read this passage and you will find "enigmatic..edifying" to be the better choice.</p>
<p>^Well said.</p>
<p>Remember, using the rest of the passage is not "against the rules." In fact, that's what you're suppose to do--use context.</p>
<p>It seems all of the "fabricating" defenses are predicated on the words "riddle" and "fable" themselves rather than their context, which is obviously what's being tested. Like I said, this question is NOT testing your knowledge of the word "fable," but rather your ability to deduce its connotations based on the context of the reading.</p>
<p>It's FABRICATING!!! </p>
<p>If you read closely enough, the Chinese writer goes well into the fact that people tend to create, thus "fabricate" the persons they write about... Their writings tend to become as much about their own wishful thinking as what the facts are. He didn't learn any greater lesson. He actually says the opposite by confessing his ignorance about his father's life. </p>
<p>His use of the strong word "fabrication" is used deliberately to convey his sense of anguish at his inability to capture the truth of Baba. Just because fable and edifying are connected in some way does not in any way prove that it has anything to do with the main idea.</p>
<p>Edit: Why is being brought up again...? The details of the SAT are slipping out of my mind like quicksilver. Let's just wait until June 26th and then we can gloat...</p>
<p>what was the exact question again?</p>
<p>riddle: something far less than coherent story...puzzling/ enigmatic
fable: a coherent meaningful story...edifying</p>
<p>Great narrative ("The Chinese American Experience") seemed more like a riddle than than a fable. </p>
<p>In this context, great narrative seemed like a riddle because it didn't give any specific, meaninful information about her father. Even though she once depended on this story, she realized that it didn't say anything about her father. It was only a puzzling, frustrating, enigmatic story far from being a fable, a meaningful and edifying story. </p>
<p>Why do we need the word, fabrication?</p>