Mid-term break (continued)

b. How does the use of literary devices describe the mood in this poem?

The use of literary devices describes the mood by showing the emotions of the people in the poem.

In the second stanza, the father is said to be crying. And, in stanza 5, the mother is coughing out "angry tearless sighs". The poet was able to use metaphors and other literary devices to describe the mood.

Thus, the use of literary devices describes the mood by showing the emotions of the people in the poem.

Mid-term break

a. What are the persona's feelings in the first five stanzas of the poem? Explain how the poet described these feelings through the careful choice of words used.

The persona was feeling embarrassed and confused in the first five stanzas of the poem.

The persona was feeling embarrassed because there were old men in his house, and the old men went up to him to shake hands with him. This made him feel embarrassed as the old men treat him as an adult, shaking hands with him. Some people also told strangers that the persona was the eldest in the family, making him feel more embarrassed. The poet was able to show the feelings of embarrassment by using the word "embarrassed" , thus directly telling the reader that the persona was feeling embarrassed.

The persona was feeling confused because his father and mother were reacting to the baby's death differently. The mother was sighing angrily and tearlessly, whereas the father was crying. It was also strange to the persona that usually his father never cries during funerals, but he was crying this time. The poet was able to show the confusion by showing contrast between what the parents were doing.

In conclusion, the persona was feeling embarrassed and confused in the first five stanzas of the poem.