In her 1921 poem “Spring,” Edna St. Vincent Millay subverts conventional depictions of springtime. Instead of celebrating growth and renewal, Millay disputes the merit of the season entirely: ______

Question

Which quotation from “Spring” most effectively illustrates the claim?
Choose 1 answer:
Choose 1 answer:
(Choice A) “To what purpose, April, do you return again? / Beauty is not enough.”
A
“To what purpose, April, do you return again? / Beauty is not enough.”
(Choice B) The sun is hot on my neck as I observe / The spikes of the crocus.
B
The sun is hot on my neck as I observe / The spikes of the crocus.
(Choice C) The smell of the earth is good. / It is apparent that there is no death.
C
The smell of the earth is good. / It is apparent that there is no death.
(Choice D) Life in itself / Is nothing, / An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs.
D
Life in itself / Is nothing, / An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs.

Answer 1

(Choice A) “To what purpose, April, do you return again? / Beauty is not enough.”
This quotation most effectively illustrates the claim that Millay disputes the merit of spring by questioning its purpose and suggesting that beauty alone is insufficient.