medium · SAT Reading & Writing

The following text is from a literary critique of a nineteenth-century novel. The author's use of first-person narration creates an immediate sense of intimacy between the reader and the protagonist. However, this intimacy is frequently disrupted by the narrator's habit of addressing the reader directly to provide historical context. These digressions, while informative, prevent the reader from fully immersing themselves in the character's internal emotional life. Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

1. The author's early works are contrasted with her later novels to show an evolution in style.
2. A narrator's digressions are catalogued and then evaluated for their historical accuracy.
3. A literary device is identified, its positive effect is noted, and its negative consequence is explained.
4. A narrative technique is criticized and then defended by pointing to its unexpected benefits.

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