<p>Enigmatic And Edifying Is The Corect Answer!!! </p>
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<p>In the passage the author describes his father’s past experience as a riddle rather than a fable. Everyone can agree that enigmatic and puzzling can fit in for riddle but the controversy comes in with fable. In dictionary.com edify means to instruct or uplift and fabricate means to make up. A fable is a fabrication literally ,but the point of fables is to teach a moral lesson which is edifying. Lets plug these words in for riddle and fable and see which one makes more sense. </p>
<li>my father’s past experience is enigmatic rather than edifying</li>
<li>my father’s past experience is puzzling rather than a fabrication </li>
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<p>When plugged fabrication seems absolutely wrong. He was saying that his fathers experience was vague to him (puzzling) and that he wanted to learn about it (edifying). It wasnt vague to him because it was some fabrication or made up story. His father’s past life was not a fabrication. When looked at in this sense it is clear that enigmatic and edifying is the correct answer.</p>
<p>Im sry to those who answered puzzling and fabrication. Most of the pople on the forums seems ot have answer puzzling but its wrong. If you think about it enigmatic is a more advance word than puzzling and fabrication doesn’t fit with the context of the passage. </p>
<p>I know im looking at this from the right context because it was in the second paragraph. It didnt start talking about how he fabricated stuff until 5th or 6th paragraph.</p>
<p>You guys may argue but im sticking with my answer. ENIGMATIC AND EDIFYING FTW!!!</p>
<p>I went with enigmatic/enigma for basically the same reasons.</p>
<p>I think a lot of people who said fabricating didn't really read into the context of the reading. He was trying to learn more about his father, he was NOT making things up to fill in the blanks. But his father's life was too mysterious, too enigmatic, for him to decipher.</p>
<p>I'm 100% sure we'll find out eventually that enigma/edifying is right. I've already said that I'm willing to eat my socks if I'm wrong here (I'm not). :)</p>
<p>IT was a fabrication, he feared he'd make mistakes recounting them because he's run the stories over in his head so many times and made so many alterations that they wouldn't even be his father's anymore. Therefore, he fabricated them.</p>
<p>bballaz, you make a good point but here is my argument for puzzling/fabrication:</p>
<p>I. I think we both agree that puzzling or enigmatic both work, so we should focus on the second word...</p>
<p>II. definitions: (from Dictionary.com)
fable: a story not founded on fact
edifying: to instruct or benefit, esp. morally or spiritually; uplift
fabrication: (fabricate) To make, create; the act or process of fabricating, manufacturing</p>
<p>Based on these definitions, it appears fabrication was more suitable to represent fables. If you find another definition that actually works for edifying, then please share it.</p>
<p>fable: A usually short narrative making an edifying or cautionary point and often employing as characters animals that speak and act like humans. (american heritage)</p>
<p>it really boils down to which definition of "fable" you think the author was using in context.</p>
<p>You really have to understand the connotations of the words, and fabrication doesn't work because it usually means an outright lie, not just an untruthful notion. Fables serve to edify in their morals.</p>
<p>why don't we collectively take the ambiguity of this question as an impetus to make jokes about the college board? Seriously, I have so much respect for students that post here, and if you guys are split 50/50 down the line for a question, then the question clearly lacked clarity.</p>
<p>The author was not talking about how he feared of fabricating his fathers past life during this part of the passage. The author was trying to say that his father's past life was a mystery rather than something he could learn about. He is specifically talking about his fathers past life and how it relates to him. And like i said on this post replace the words and it doesnt make sense if u put fabrication.</p>
<p>my fathers life is like a riddle rather than a fabrication. </p>
<p>he is taling about his fathers life. i dont know how to stress this point better.</p>
<p>fabrication doesnt work. like i said he was trying to say that his father's past life was mysterious to him and that it wasnt something he could learn about becuase it was mysterious</p>
<p>I chose puzzlement and fabrication, though edifying seems to be close as it means:enlightening or uplifting so as to encourage intellectual or moral improvement;. Wouldn't it be enlightening to encourage intellectual improvement about his father's past? Idk I just hope I chose the right answer</p>
<p>I agree with bballaz! Just found the actual passage. Am bumping this thread back to page one so that it will be possible for everyone to read bballaz's analysis and the actual passage!</p>