Close Reading Poetry (I", Too" "Sympathy" "We Wear the Mask")

Front

What is the central idea of the poem 'I, Too'?

Back

Racial prejudice is disgraceful and will dissolve in favor of equality.

Front

What evidence supports the idea that America is exceptional in 'America the Beautiful'?

Back

"O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain!"

Front

Which line from 'I, Too' proves that racial prejudice will dissolve?

Back

"They'll see how beautiful I am / And be ashamed — / I, too, am America."

Front

What does the line 'We sing, but oh, the clay is vile / Beneath our feet, and long the mile' likely mean in 'We Wear the Mask'?

Back

The people's lives are difficult, but they pretend to feel joy when others can see.

Front

What tone is conveyed in the line 'the caged bird beats its wings/ Till its blood is red on the cruel bars' from 'Sympathy'?

Back

violent

Front

What does the term 'racial prejudice' mean?

Back

A preconceived opinion or judgment about individuals based on their race.

Front

What is the significance of the phrase 'I, too, am America' in Hughes' poem?

Back

It asserts the speaker's identity and rightful place in American society despite racial discrimination.

Front

How does the imagery of nature in 'America the Beautiful' contribute to its theme?

Back

It evokes a sense of pride and beauty in the American landscape, reinforcing the idea of American exceptionalism.

Front

What does the mask symbolize in 'We Wear the Mask'?

Back

The mask symbolizes the facade that people put on to hide their true feelings and struggles.

Front

What is the effect of the repetition in the phrase 'We wear the mask'?

Back

It emphasizes the collective experience of hiding one's true self and the shared struggle against societal expectations.