Kew Gardens

Question

by Virginia Wolff

The snail had now considered every possible method of reaching his goal without going round the dead leaf or climbing over it. Let alone the effort needed for climbing a leaf, he was doubtful whether the thin texture which vibrated with such an alarming crackle when touched even by the tip of his horns would bear his weight; and this determined him finally to creep beneath it, for there was a point where the leaf curved high enough from the ground to admit him. He had just inserted his head in the opening and was taking stock of the high brown roof and was getting used to the cool brown light when two other people came past outside on the turf. This time they were both young, a young man and a young woman. They were both in the prime of youth, or even in that season which precedes the prime of youth, the season before the smooth pink folds of the flower have burst their gummy case, when the wings of the butterfly, though fully grown, are motionless in the sun.

"Kew Gardens" by Virginia Wolff

Question
Use this excerpt from “Kew Gardens” from Monday or Tuesday by Virginia Woolf to answer the question.

Which choice is the best interpretation of the metaphor comparing the youth of the man and woman to a time “when the wings of the butterfly, though fully grown, are motionless in the sun”?

(1 point)
Responses

It’s a time when youth may be physically grown, but they don’t have the experiences of someone older yet.
It’s a time when youth may be physically grown, but they don’t have the experiences of someone older yet.

It’s a time when young men and women are developing just as a caterpillar goes through a metamorphosis.
It’s a time when young men and women are developing just as a caterpillar goes through a metamorphosis.

It’s a time just before youth fully hit puberty and physically become more like adults.
It’s a time just before youth fully hit puberty and physically become more like adults.

It’s a time when youth are plagued with indecision because they have not grown fully into adulthood.

Answer 1

The best interpretation of the metaphor comparing the youth of the man and woman to a time “when the wings of the butterfly, though fully grown, are motionless in the sun” is:

It’s a time when youth may be physically grown, but they don’t have the experiences of someone older yet.

This interpretation captures the essence of the metaphor, suggesting that while the young man and woman may appear mature in some ways (like the fully grown wings of a butterfly), they are still in a stage of life where they lack the depth of experiences and maturity that come with age.