Question
Question:
What is the effect of the paradox on the passage's meaning or tone?
Passage (with Paradox in Bold):
Review the passage. The paradox is shown in bold.
I dwell in a lonely house I know
That vanished many a summer ago,
And left no trace but the cellar walls,
And a cellar in which the daylight falls,
And the purple-stemmed wild raspberries grow,
O'er ruined fences the grape-vines shield
The woods come back to the mowing field;
The orchard tree has grown one corpse
Of new wood and old where the woodpecker chops;
The footpath down to the well is healed.
From Robert Frost, "Ghost House"
Answer Choices:
It creates a remorseful tone.
It indicates that the house never existed.
It creates a mournful tone.
What is the effect of the paradox on the passage's meaning or tone?
Passage (with Paradox in Bold):
Review the passage. The paradox is shown in bold.
I dwell in a lonely house I know
That vanished many a summer ago,
And left no trace but the cellar walls,
And a cellar in which the daylight falls,
And the purple-stemmed wild raspberries grow,
O'er ruined fences the grape-vines shield
The woods come back to the mowing field;
The orchard tree has grown one corpse
Of new wood and old where the woodpecker chops;
The footpath down to the well is healed.
From Robert Frost, "Ghost House"
Answer Choices:
It creates a remorseful tone.
It indicates that the house never existed.
It creates a mournful tone.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The effect of the paradox in the passage is that it contributes to a mournful tone. The imagery of a lonely house that has vanished yet is still remembered evokes feelings of loss and nostalgia. The juxtaposition of the house's absence with the descriptions of nature reclaiming the space highlights the fleeting nature of existence and the impact of time, underscoring a sense of sorrow for what once was. Therefore, the correct answer choice is:
**It creates a mournful tone.**
**It creates a mournful tone.**