Which one of the following most accurately characterizes the author's attitude with respect to Phillis Wheatley's lit...

Victoria on April 17, 2021

Hi @Andrew,

Happy to help!

What do we learn about the author's attitude throughout this passage?

From the end of paragraph 2 and the beginning of paragraph 3, we learn that the author believes that it is "unfortunate" that Wheatley's poetry did not live up to its potential to "apply the ideas of a written literature to an oral literary tradition in the creation of an African American literary language."

However, it is the final paragraph of the passage that provides us with our answer:

"...limited by the eighteenth-century English literary code, Wheatley's poetry contributed little to the development of a distinctive African American literary language. Yet by the standards of the literary conventions in which she chose to work, Wheatley's poetry is undeniably accomplished, and she is justly celebrated as the first Black American poet."

We know that the author is disappointed that Wheatley did not contribute to the development of a distinctive African American literary language, but they concede that she was accomplished in her own right.

Therefore, the author admires her work, but this is a qualified admiration due to the author's underlying disappointment.

Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any further questions.