The Swagman

Which lines from the poem summarize the central idea?

• a. “He told me that he wanted work, / But jobs were scarce this side of Bourke,”
• b. “On every road, in every town, / All through the country, up and down.”
• c. “ ‘Ay, once I was a little lad,’ / He said, and seemed to grow quite sad.”
• d. “And hang some corks around my hat, / And lead a jolly life like that.”

How does the poet use the setting to convey the central idea?

• a. by using detailed imagery to describe the characters
• b. by using the location to enhance a character’s conflict
• c. by using a series of flashbacks to illustrate the time period
• d. by using the boy’s age to highlight his relationship with the Swagman

How does the poet develop the theme throughout the poem?

• a. by describing the Swagman’s history and the child living with him 
• b. by describing the child’s amusement and admiration for the Swagman
• c. by describing the Swagman’s few possessions and how he uses each one
• d. by describing the Swagman’s appearance and having him give the boy advice

How does stanza 2 demonstrate the difference between the points of view of the Swagman and the speaker?

• a. It shows how the Swagman is much more playful than the speaker.
• b. It shows how the Swagman loves to give advice to those around him.
• c. It shows how the speaker misunderstands the Swagman’s experiences.
• d. It shows how the speaker tries to cheer up the Swagman when he is upset.

How does the speaker view the Swagman’s experience in stanza 3?

• a. The speaker is concerned about the experiences of the Swagman.
• b. The speaker thinks the Swagman’s experiences are interesting.
• c. The speaker is frightened by the experiences of Swagman.
• d. The speaker thinks the Swagman’s experiences are sad.

How is the speaker’s point of view different from the Swagman’s point of view?

• a. The speaker’s point of view is more experienced.
• b. The speaker’s point of view is more childlike.
• c. The speaker’s point of view is more serious.
• d. The speaker’s point of view is more playful.

How does the author develop each character’s point of view?

• a. through shared experiences
• b. through a formed friendship
• c. through conversation
• d. through a crisis