|
by ValerieW-16, 30 July 2009
I’ve never been a fan of standardized testing, but my recent ordeal regarding taking the SAT Literature Subject Test last weekend confirmed all my fears.
Pardon me for sounding a little cocky, but English has always been one of my strengths and passions both inside and outside of school. Which is probably why doing so poorly on the test was such an unpleasant surprise.
No, I haven’t received my scores yet, but then again, solid proof isn’t necessary to know certain things. My bias is probably speaking for itself here, but I honestly believe the subjectivity of literary analysis is such that a multiple choice-based standardized test such as the SAT Literature Subject Test is completely inappropriate as a means of assessment.
I’m tempted to quote a question word for word in order to better illustrate my point, but the College Board would probably come after my butt with a whip in hand. And so I will content myself with making the argument that the beauty of language lies in its wonderful ambiguity: two people can find completely different meanings in the same word, let alone an entire text. But this beauty sure fades when the appeal of selecting the “right” answer counts for marks that, for some reason, play a disproportionately large role in determining one’s future.
Being a writer and all, I’m obviously a fan of language as a Way of Knowing (my TOK teacher would be so proud if he was reading this). I love the English language, in all its mysterious connotations that require secret passwords to decode, and the shadowy ambiguity that keeps everyone guessing. Sometimes, however, it is this same ambiguity that is so incredibly frustrating. Sometimes, we need a sense of direction. Sometimes, we all need a little clarity.
|
Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
