Tackling the Fiction Passage
Fiction passages will only appear as long RPs. The only
major difference between fiction and nonfiction passages is that
fiction is not structured as hierarchically as nonfiction. By “hierarchical,”
we mean the rigid structure of passages we described at the beginning
of this section:
- Paragraph 1: Introduction/Proposition
- Paragraph 2: First point in support of proposed argument
with supporting data. Transition sentence.
- Paragraph 3: Second point in support of proposed argument
with supporting data. Transition sentence.
And so forth.
Even though you can’t rely on the hierarchical structure
you find in most nonfiction passages, fiction passages do contain
an analogous “skeleton” that you can use to guide your reading.
The key thing to keep in mind is: “Who is doing what to whom
and how does it make everyone, including the narrator, feel?” This
question focuses your attention on the key elements of conventional
prose fiction. Let’s review these briefly:
- The narrator. Think of the
narrator as the “voice” that’s telling the story. The SAT uses first-
or third-person narration (first person: “Call me Ishmael…”; third
person: “He sat on the bench bemoaning his lost love…”). It doesn’t
get cutesy or experimental with second-person narration (“You go
to the store. You see a black cat. You freak out.”) or with unreliable
narrators who “lie” to the reader about what’s actually happening
in the story.
- The characters. Again, no one’s going to
get cutesy on you. You won’t find characters disappearing into the
ether because you find out in the last line that they were figments
of the imagination of an unreliable narrator who turns out to be
an escaped mental patient. Just keep in mind who’s who, and what
their relationships are (mother/daughter, friends, husband/wife,
etc.).
- The plot. Not much can actually transpire
in a passage of 800 to 850 words. If fiction scares you, let this
fact calm your fears. Events will be apparent. The most you’ll be
asked to do is read between the lines of what characters say to
one another, which is a skill you already use every day. (“Jane
said I look good today. Does she really mean this, or was it a sarcastic
dig?”)
- The way the author uses language to convey states
of mind and events. The section on literary techniques and
rhetorical devices (pages –33) is more than enough preparation to handle
what the SAT will throw at you.
There are two basic steps to approaching a fiction passage:
Step 1: Read the italicized introduction.
Step 2: Read the entire passage, word for word.
One advantage of SAT fiction passages is that they are
usually interesting and easy to read. They’re mostly about human
relationships, so they don’t introduce unfamiliar information or
jargon, as nonfiction passages usually do. In general, go ahead
and read these word for word, but read them quickly, and always be
prepared to skim when you’re pressed for time. If what
you’re reading seems like unnecessary information, skim ahead and
pick up the story again. As you can see, you’ll need to let your own
strengths and experience guide you on test day. If, on the one hand, you’re
a fast reader who feels comfortable with fiction, go ahead and read the
passage quickly (with little or no skimming) and tackle the items.
If, on the other hand, you’re a slow reader who’s not comfortable
with fiction, first do all the other items in the section and then
come back to the fiction passage and try to get what you can out
of a quick read/skim.
As you read, circle names of characters, key dialogue,
crucial images—anything that keeps you physically and mentally engaged.
Aim to get an idea of what happens where in the passage so that
when you hit the items you’ll have some idea of where you might
need to go in the passage to puzzle out a particular item.
Above all—don’t sweat it! Fiction is no big deal.
Practice will help you.
