My Sweet Old Etcetera

Question

by E.E.cummings

my sweet old etcetera

aunt lucy during the recent

war could and what

is more did tell you just

what everybody was fighting

for, . . .

"my sweet old etcetera". Copyright 1926, 1954, (c) 1991 by the Trustees for the E. E. Cummings Trust. Copyright (c) 1985 by George James Firmage, from COMPLETE POEMS: 1904-1962 by E. E. Cummings, edited by George J. Firmage. Used by permission of Liveright Publishing Corporation.

Question
Use the lines to answer the question.

What interpretation does the poet’s description of his aunt support?

(1 point)
Responses

The poet makes a statement about the importance of his family and their support for the war.
The poet makes a statement about the importance of his family and their support for the war.

The poet makes a statement about the contrast between giving support and taking action.
The poet makes a statement about the contrast between giving support and taking action.

The poet feels that the public perception of the war is inaccurate and that the reality is much different.
The poet feels that the public perception of the war is inaccurate and that the reality is much different.

The poet feels that war is necessary to make the world safe for democracy.

Answer 1

The interpretation that best aligns with the poet’s description of his aunt is:

The poet makes a statement about the contrast between giving support and taking action.

This interpretation reflects the idea that while the aunt may have had opinions about the war and could articulate reasons for it, there is an underlying tension between merely expressing support for the war and the actual realities and consequences of war itself. E.E. Cummings often critiques societal norms and conveys complex emotions surrounding such topics.