Question
Fulfillment
by Paul Laurence Dunbar
I grew a rose once more to please mine eyes.
All things to aid it—dew, sun, wind, fair skies—
Were kindly; and to shield it from despoil,
I fenced it safely in with grateful toil.
No other hand than mine shall pluck this flower, said I,
And I was jealous of the bee that hovered nigh.
It grew for days; I stood hour after hour
To watch the slow unfolding of the flower,
And then I did not leave its side at all,
Lest some mischance my flower should befall.
At last, oh joy! the central petals burst apart.
It blossomed—but, alas! a worm was at its heart!
___
Adapted from “Fulfillment,” by Paul Laurence Dunbar, Public domain.
Questions
How do the ending lines of the poem connect back to the beginning?
The ending lines emphasize the speaker’s belief that growing a flower is easier than growing a weed.
The ending lines reveal that the rose planted in the beginning of the poem has a worm in it.
The ending lines shift the overall mood of the poem from depressing to joyous.
The ending lines reveal the poem’s central idea, which is that gardening is usually futile
by Paul Laurence Dunbar
I grew a rose once more to please mine eyes.
All things to aid it—dew, sun, wind, fair skies—
Were kindly; and to shield it from despoil,
I fenced it safely in with grateful toil.
No other hand than mine shall pluck this flower, said I,
And I was jealous of the bee that hovered nigh.
It grew for days; I stood hour after hour
To watch the slow unfolding of the flower,
And then I did not leave its side at all,
Lest some mischance my flower should befall.
At last, oh joy! the central petals burst apart.
It blossomed—but, alas! a worm was at its heart!
___
Adapted from “Fulfillment,” by Paul Laurence Dunbar, Public domain.
Questions
How do the ending lines of the poem connect back to the beginning?
The ending lines emphasize the speaker’s belief that growing a flower is easier than growing a weed.
The ending lines reveal that the rose planted in the beginning of the poem has a worm in it.
The ending lines shift the overall mood of the poem from depressing to joyous.
The ending lines reveal the poem’s central idea, which is that gardening is usually futile
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The most accurate connection between the ending lines of the poem and the beginning is:
**The ending lines reveal that the rose planted in the beginning of the poem has a worm in it.**
This revelation highlights the contrast between the speaker's initial joy and anticipation in nurturing the rose and the disappointing reality of finding a worm at its heart, which ultimately disrupts the beauty and fulfillment they sought.
**The ending lines reveal that the rose planted in the beginning of the poem has a worm in it.**
This revelation highlights the contrast between the speaker's initial joy and anticipation in nurturing the rose and the disappointing reality of finding a worm at its heart, which ultimately disrupts the beauty and fulfillment they sought.
“But this poor microscopic item now!
Since it was nothing I knew evil of
I let it lie there till I hope it slept.”
Why are these lines from the end of the poem important?
In these lines the speaker has a change of heart about the fate of the mite after discovering it is alive.
In these lines the speaker expresses their feelings of fear when it is revealed the speck on the sheet of paper is actually a mite.
These lines hint at the fact that the speaker is viewing a speck on a sheet of paper through a microscope.
These lines further develop the idea that no matter how small something is, it is worth saving.
Since it was nothing I knew evil of
I let it lie there till I hope it slept.”
Why are these lines from the end of the poem important?
In these lines the speaker has a change of heart about the fate of the mite after discovering it is alive.
In these lines the speaker expresses their feelings of fear when it is revealed the speck on the sheet of paper is actually a mite.
These lines hint at the fact that the speaker is viewing a speck on a sheet of paper through a microscope.
These lines further develop the idea that no matter how small something is, it is worth saving.