Question

Read the excerpt from "A Boat beneath a Sunny Sky” by Lewis Carroll. Notice that the first letters in each line spell out the name "Alice.”

A boat beneath a sunny sky,
Lingering onward dreamily
In an evening of July —

Children three that nestle near,
Eager eye and willing ear,

How does the placement of the letters at the beginning of each line affect the meaning of the excerpt?

It establishes that the poem is about Alice.
It emphasizes that Alice has gone away.
It places Alice with the group of children.
It creates a visual image of Alice.

Answer 1

It establishes that the poem is about Alice.

The initial letters form an acrostic spelling "ALICE," a deliberate device that names/dedicates the poem to her rather than describing her visually, placing her among the children, or emphasizing her absence.