Read the excerpt from "VI" by Emily Dickinson.

"If you were coming in the fall,
I'd brush the summer by
With half a smile and half a spurn,
As housewives do a fly."

Why did the author most likely choose the imagery of brushing away a fly?

to suggest the speaker is annoyed
to show the speaker cleaning her house
to help readers picture the setting
to emphasize how quickly time would pass

1 answer

The author most likely chose the imagery of brushing away a fly to suggest the speaker is annoyed. The act of brushing away a fly conveys a sense of irritation or dismissal, reflecting the speaker's feelings about the passage of time and her anticipation of the other person's arrival. This imagery captures a sense of impatience or annoyance regarding the wait for the person she is addressing.