"The Blend" CFU

Which statement best describes the poet's message in writing the poem?

• Even though Irish immigrants faced discrimination, their culture is now a valuable part of our shared American culture.

• The "No Irish Need Apply" sign was a horrible, prejudiced practice that must be stopped

• Irish immigrants did not assimilate very well into American culture

• Ukrainian immigration should be limited to 2% of the total immigrant population

 "Who built the bridges, mate, and scraped the city sky? / And bled with your sons / And so the blend begun"

In this line, what is the poet referring to?

• The process of immigrating through Ellis Island in New York City

• Employment discrimination faced by Irish-Americans

• The enemies of Irish- Americans

• Irish-American labor and sacrifice that built important things in America

"When I wed your lovely daughter / Maybe you shouldn't ought of / but you gave her away to be with me / Now what do you think? / You gonna buy me a drink?"

In these lines, the poet uses his own marriage as a metaphor/symbol that represents

• The poet's regret for marrying the daughter
• The daughter's love for the poet

• The cultural assimilation and blending between Irish immigrants and Americans

• American families discriminating against Irish people by not consenting to their daughters' marriages

Which statement best describes the historical context that surrounds this poem?

• Russian immigrants came to America fleeing pogroms in Russia

• Irish immigrants faced employment discrimination in the late 1800s due to nativist beliefs in America

• Irish people were "Old immigrants" so everything went well for them

• Nativism and Xenophobia

“E pluribus bleedin unum”/Have you got it? Do you know what that means?/ It means ‘blend’/‘Blend’ is the backbone of this place 

In these lines, the poet uses the motto of the United States of America to emphasize that

• The United States of America is not a diverse place

• Our diversity as a country sometimes leads to serious problems

• The United States of America is a "bleeding" country, meaning that it is very violent

• Our unity and strength as a country arises from our diversity of cultures

 "We were all 'them' once. / Now we're just us./ Just U.S."

In this line, the poet uses the word "them" to mean...

• A group of people who prefer BodyArmor over Prime

• People who are from Ireland, like the speaker or the poet

• A group of people who are not important to the speaker or the poet
• People in our country who were once considered "different
  or "outsiders"