Upon the Burning of Our House

In her poem, Bradstreet mostly criticizes herself for-

•  

  Losing her faith in God's goodness

• • Failing to react quickly in an emergency

  
  

• • Not taking proper precautions against fire hazards

  
  

• • Valuing material possessions too much

  
  

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.11-12.10

• Bradstreet emphasizes both the things she has lost and-

  
  

• • The people who escaped the fire

  
  

• • The new home that neighbors are building for her

  
  

• • Her memories of happy occasions in the house

  
  

• • The items she has rescued from the flames

  
  

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.5

• When Bradstreet writes, "I blest His name that gave and took..." she implies that-

  
  

• • She is being punished for the sin of vanity

  
  

• • Material objects are ultimately God's and not her

  
  

• • She secretly wants all her possessions to vanish

  
  

• When Bradstreet writes, "Thou hast an house on high erect..." she means that

  
  

• • Whatever is destroyed can soon be rebuilt

  
  

• • God has prepared an eternal dwelling place for all believers

  
  

• • She is bitter about those people who still have homes

  
  

• • One should dwell upon the good things in life

  
  

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.10

• Bradstreet's views might be described as spiritual because she-

  
  

• • Repeatedly refers to God and His will

  
  

• • Emphasizes that real value cannot be found in earthly things

  
  

• • Writes movingly of the things she lost

  
  

• • Clearly explains how a person feels after a disaster

  
  

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

• What was the "thund'ring noise" that woke Bradstreet?

  
  

• • A clap of lightning

  
  

• • The drums of English soldiers

  
  

• • The burning of her home

  
  

• • A raging river

  
  

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.10

• In this poem, who is the "mighty Architect"?

  
  

• • Bradstreet's Uncle

  
  

• • A symbol of Puritan kindness

  
  

• God

• • The man who built Bradstreet's house

  
  

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.10

• In the last half of the poem, what does Bradstreet wish to no longer love?

  
  

• • Possessions

  
  

• • Human beings

  
  

• • Those who set the fire

  
  

• • Glory

  
  

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.11-12.11

• Which of the following excerpts is the best example of inversion?

  
  

• • "My hope and treaseure lies above."

  
  

• • "And them behold no more shall I."

  
  

• • "Thou has an house on high erect..."

  
  

• • "No candle e'er shall shine in thee..."

  
  

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

• In the last part of this poem, Bradstreet uses house as a metaphor for -

  
  

• • The afterlife

  
  

• • The things she has lost

  
  

• God

• • Friends and family

  
  

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5