According to the article "five stars for literary critics," what is one role that a literary critic fulfills?

A social commentator.

Explanation:

One of the roles that a literary critic fulfills is that of social commentator. This means that a literary critic will often discuss how a particular work of literature talks about people in general, and how it fits into the wider context of society. This is a very important step, as it can allow us to better appreciate the significance of a work of literature, and to predict how people will relate to it.

nominative