Read the excerpt from David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest.It’s clear that this really pretty sincere yellow Dean at left is Admissions. And surely the little aviarian figure at right is Athletics, then, because the facial creases of the shaggy middle Dean are now pursed in a kind of distanced affront, an I’m-eating-something-that-makes-me-really-appreciate-the-presence-of-whatever-I’m-drinking-along-with-it look that spells professionally Academic reservations. An uncomplicated loyalty to standards, then, at center. My uncle looks to Athletics as if puzzled. He shifts slightly in his chair.Which element of structure most contributes to the postmodern quality of this excerpt?
Answer
A
unusual language and sentence structure
B
inconsistent passing of time
C
the use of irony to emphasize an idea
D
a sudden and unexpected shift of perspective
Explanation
The excerpt uses unusually elaborate, playful language and a long, winding sentence to describe the characters’ expressions and roles. Phrases such as “little aviarian figure” and “I’m-eating-something-that-makes-me-really-appreciate” make the narration feel deliberately unconventional. This unusual language and sentence structure contributes most to the passage’s postmodern quality; the correct choice is “unusual language and sentence structure.”
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