In Zurich, Switzerland, around the time of the outbreak of World War I, a new artistic movement was born. Today we know it as Dadaism. However, the painters, poets, and actors who founded the movement would not have accepted this label. In fact, they might have disagreed that Dadaism was an artistic movement.

Question

So what was Dadaism, if not an artistic movement? Above all, it was a reaction to the First World War. The Dadaists felt that the war was proof that the world around them was out of control—even meaningless. In response, they rejected many ideas that people accepted as "normal." Everything for which art stood, Dada represented the opposite. In fact, Dadaists did not call their creations "art;" they called them "anti-art." These creations did not conform to accepted standards of beauty. On the contrary, the Dadaists invented their own standards and rules.
The Dadaists intended their work to be a criticism of the war and modern society. However, many people—even artists—did not understand Dadaism and even took offense to it. Today we are able to appreciate Dadaism as a valuable precursor to other artistic movements such as surrealism. Indeed, some art historians cite Dadaism as the very first example of post-modern art.
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Based on the central idea, which would be the best title for this passage?
A.
Dadaism: a Reaction to War
B.
Dadaism: Artists in Support of the War
C.
Dadaism: an Acceptance of Rules
D.
Dadaism: a Popular Artistic Movement

Answer 1

The best title for the passage is:

A. Dadaism: a Reaction to War

This title accurately captures the central idea that Dadaism emerged as a response to the First World War and the feelings of meaninglessness associated with it.