up the ante
Does "she upped the ante in using these tropes in an irrational, absurdist manner" in the following text mean:

1. by using these tropes in an irrational and absurdist manner, she takes the using of grid structure and serial repetition to a new extent?

or

2. She takes the using of these tropes in an irrational and absurdist manner to a new extent?

Text:
While Hesse used the grid structure and serial repetition that characterises much of the work of her minimalist contemporaries Donald Judd, Carl Andre and Sol LeWitt, she upped the ante in using these tropes in an irrational, absurdist manner.

Question

up the ante
Does "she upped the ante in using these tropes in an irrational, absurdist manner" in the following text mean:

1. by using these tropes in an irrational and absurdist manner, she takes the using of grid structure and serial repetition to a new extent?

or

2. She takes the using of these tropes in an irrational and absurdist manner to a new extent?

Text:
While Hesse used the grid structure and serial repetition that characterises much of the work of her minimalist contemporaries Donald Judd, Carl Andre and Sol LeWitt, she upped the ante in using these tropes in an irrational, absurdist manner.

Answer

For reference: "upped the ante" is a cultural reference to the gambling card game called "poker". In order to participate in a round of the game, one must contribute a starting bet; that first bet is called the "ante", which comes from the Latin word "ante" that means "before".

To up the ante means to change the rules by increasing the cost of participating.

Answer

She = Hesse used option 1 the serial repetition grid structure like her contemporaries. But she upped the ante took it to a new level option 2 in using these troops in an irrational, absurdist maker.

Therefore both options apply option 1 to the first part but option 2 for the second part, of the text.

Option 2 applies to your particular question regarding using these troops in antirational, absurdist maker.

Answer

Good question, I can understand the confusion. It's option 1.

Answers · 3

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