Question

Kari is reviewing her paragraph on the artist Lee Krasner. Read her paragraph.

The Abstract Expressionist artist Lee Krasner spent most of her artistic career being known as the wife of another famous Abstract Expressionist, Jackson Pollack. Like the painter Frida Kahlo, Krasner lived in the shadow of her famous husband. A 1948 review of an art exhibit featuring both her work and Pollack’s work illuminates this association. "Lee Krasner seems to be plagiarizing from her husband’s style, though her geometric shapes show a little more dramatic flair” (Winston). This sentiment attributes, or credits, the main artistic execution of the painting to Pollack and suggests that Krasner’s artwork is a revision of his design. This notion is reiterated, or repeated, in a review of Krasner’s work in another gallery 10 years later. Krasner is described as painting "like Pollack, though in a fashion that is more formulaic than genius” (Allan). These reviews highlight the challenge that Krasner faced when trying to be viewed as an artist in her own right.

How should Kari revise her paragraph to make it more readable?

a. eliminate the second sentence comparing Krasner to Kahlo
b. reconsider whether she wants to refer to the cited sources
c. evaluate the effectiveness of including two different quotes
d. delete the definitions of the words attributes and reiterated

Answer 1

Choose a, c, and d.

- a: The Kahlo comparison is unnecessary and interrupts flow; remove it.
- c: Two quotes that make the same point are redundant — either keep the stronger quote or summarize the second review in your own words.
- d: The short definitions ("attributes," "reiterated") interrupt readability and should be deleted.

(Also fix Jackson Pollock’s name and consider tightening the first sentence to avoid passive phrasing.)