LSAT 105 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q2

LR Question 2 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: The blues is a modern musical form whose lyrics …

QUESTION TYPE: Paradox – EXCEPT

PARADOX: Blues songs are about suffering and hardship, but people who perform and listen to them say the overall effect is joyful and life-affirming.

ANALYSIS: The content is sad and painful. Yet the experience is positive and uplifting.

If I go through something tough, but rant about that experience to my loved ones, maybe the experience itself can still be tough but the process of sharing it might still be good!

So something that resolves the paradox will tell us how creating music is cathartic or relieves pain. The answer that doesn’t explain this is our correct answer.

___________

1. If the blues bring people together and create a sense of community, then songs about suffering can still have an uplifting effect.
2. CORRECT. This tells us something about what makes musicians successful. It says nothing about why performing or listening to sad songs feels joyful or life-affirming.
3. Humor and perspective can make painful experiences easier to bear and even affirming.
4. Knowing you’re not alone can turn songs about suffering into a source of comfort and hope.
5. Catharsis directly explains how expressing sadness through art can produce positive feelings.