According to the passage, a significant distinction between the salonnières and Bluestockings was in the way each group regarded which of the following?
(A) The value of acquiring knowledge
(B) The role of pleasure in the activities of the literary salon
(C) The desirability of a complete break with societal traditions’
(D) The inclusion of women of different backgrounds in the salons
(E) The attainment of full social and political equality with men
I chose (A), but the answer is (B). I did narrow it down to (A) and (B). Here’s the relevant part of the passage:
Most Bluestockings did not wish to mirror the salonnières; they simply desired to adapt a proven formula to their own purpose-the elevation of women’s status through moral and intellectual training. Differences in social orientation and background can account perhaps for differences in the nature of French and English salons. The French salon incorporated aristocratic attitudes that exalted courtly pleasure and. emphasized artistic accomplishments. The English Bluestockings, originating from a more modest background, emphasized learning and work over pleasure. Accustomed to the regimented life of court circles, salonnières tended toward formality in their salons. The English women, though somewhat puritanical, were more casual in their approach.
Here’s my evidence for (A):
- It says that the Bluestockings’ purpose is “the elevation of women’s status through moral and intellectual training”.
- It says that the Bluestockings “emphasized learning and work over pleasure”
Here’s my evidence for (B):
- “The elevation of women’s status through moral and intellectual training”, might in fact mean the salonnières’ “proven formula”. And I have misunderstood it.
- It says that the salonnières “exalted courtly pleasures”.
I thought (A) had stronger evidence, because:
- “Learning” seemed to be more emphasised, and
- I interpret answer choice (B), “The role of pleasure in the activities of the literary salon”, as more about the function of pleasure. If it is rephrased as “the value of pleasure…”, then I might be more convinced that it’s (B).
Could someone help disentangle my confusion?