Question

which strategy can help you determine an authors purpose for writing a literary work?

write a letter to the author asking what his or her purpose was for writing the work.

read critical reviews of the work, scanning for the term \authors purpose.

study another literary work in the same genre and make comparisons.

analyze how various literary elements work together to send a message.

Explanation:

To determine an author’s purpose, analyzing literary elements (like plot, characters, themes, symbolism) and how they interact to convey a message is a valid strategy. Writing to the author is impractical (many authors are uncontactable or deceased). Scanning reviews for the term is not reliable as reviews may not explicitly state it. Comparing to another genre work doesn’t directly reveal the author’s purpose for this specific work. Analyzing elements helps deduce the intended message/purpose.

Answer:

D. Analyze how various literary elements work together to send a message.