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.

Answer 1

It’s option 1. The initial letters form an acrostic that spells “ALICE,” which signals the poem is about (or dedicated to) Alice. It’s a naming/dedication device rather than evidence that she’s gone away or physically placed with the children.