by Emily Dickinson
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -
I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.
Use the poem to answer the question.
Based on the poem’s structure, what conclusion can readers draw?
(1 point)
Responses
The even stanzas demonstrate that the speaker is calm and sure of the message in the poem.
The even stanzas demonstrate that the speaker is calm and sure of the message in the poem.
The use of quotation marks around the word hope show that the speaker is using the term ironically.
The use of quotation marks around the word hope show that the speaker is using the term ironically.
The use of dashes rather than periods throughout shows that the poem is one long thought about hope.
The use of dashes rather than periods throughout shows that the poem is one long thought about hope.
The rhymes that occur every other line show that each thought is paired with a contradicting thought.
1 answer
The most fitting conclusion based on the poem’s structure is:
The use of dashes rather than periods throughout shows that the poem is one long thought about hope.
This choice reflects the continuous nature of the speaker's contemplation of hope, as the dashes create a flowing, interconnected structure rather than distinct, separate thoughts. The poem's rhythm and punctuation contribute to the overall theme and message regarding the persistent nature of hope.
