Formalism · English Literature

T.S. Eliot's concept of the 'Objective Correlative' suggests that an emotion in art is best expressed by:

  1. Directly stating the emotion in the text
  2. Providing a biographical account of the author's feelings
  3. Using objects, situations, or events that evoke a specific emotion
  4. Allowing the reader to project their own feelings onto the work
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Correct answer: Using objects, situations, or events that evoke a specific emotion

Eliot argued that art should be impersonal. The 'objective correlative' serves as a sensory formula that triggers the desired emotional response in the reader without the author having to describe it explicitly.

Difficulty: Medium Question 9 of 20

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