Read these lines from “I am the People, the Mob”:

Sometimes I growl, shake myself and spatter a few red drops for history to remember. Then—I forget.

How does the author’s word choice impact the poem’s tone?

I Am the People, the Mob

Responses

It contributes to a joyous tone.
It contributes to a joyous tone.

It contributes to an angry tone.
It contributes to an angry tone.

It contributes to a hopeful tone.
It contributes to a hopeful tone.

It contributes to a frightened tone.

1 answer

The lines "Sometimes I growl, shake myself and spatter a few red drops for history to remember. Then—I forget." convey a more complex emotional response, but the imagery of "growl" and "spatter a few red drops" suggests a sense of agitation and perhaps even violence, which can create an angry tone. The use of the word "forget" contrasts with the intensity of the first part, indicating a cyclical nature of struggle that can leave the speaker feeling frustrated or resigned. Therefore, the most fitting response would be:

It contributes to an angry tone.