Identity Poem

The diction of guarded, harnessed, clusters, and greedy all indicate that the speaker has an attitude of ______________ towards the people referred to as "them" in the poem. 

• admiration
• jealousy
• annoyance
• contempt

The simile in the second stanza is used to emphasize --?

• the speaker's preference for independence despite possible conflict
• the speaker's secret envy of an easy life surrounded by friends
• the speaker's dissatisfaction with admiration and beauty
• that the speaker dislikes being outside

What does the speaker desire in lines 4-12?

• power to defeat his/her rivals
• freedom to live life as he/she chooses
• freedom to travel to exotic locations
• a life free from social and work responsibilities

What does breaking through stone in line 7 prove about the speaker?

• He/she is destructive
• He/she is stubborn
• He/she is admired
• He/she is willful 

Which term best expresses the meaning of the word "seed' as used in line 11?

• body
• common sense
• scent
• spirit

What effect does the poet achieve by repeating the phrase "I'd rather"?

• regular meter
• regular rhyme scheme
• thorough explanation of the poem's title
• reinforcement of the speaker's personal desire

What point is the author of this poem attempting to make?

• to be beautiful and admired should be a major goal in life
• beauty and comfort are meaningless without freedom and individuality
• breaking free from the everyday routine of life will drive a person crazy
• people need to stand up and do what is right by helping to protect the environment 

With which statement about the importance of friends would the speaker most likely agree?

• Real friends allow a person to be an individual. 
• Good friends will join their friends' cliques and share their same habits. 
• The best friends never allow their friends to be lonely and isolated. 
• True friends admire a friend who stands up and protests for a cause.

The overall mood of this poem is:

• liberating
• pessimistic
• content
• sorrowful

The poet likely intends for the last stanza to express the speaker's -- ?

• Concern about fitting in with people
• Regret over losing friends
• Anxiety from being isolated in the world
• Preferred image of independence