Poem Analysis Quiz- Watcher: After Katrina

Based on details in the poem, what can the reader infer about life in New Orleans immediately following Hurricane Katrina?

• Churches and other organizations were left penniless.

• City officials were in charge of cleaning up the debris.

• Many people hurried back to work once the roads were clear.

• Citizens felt a sense of hopelessness because of the destruction.

Which two things were happening in New Orleans before the hurricane cleanup crews arrived?

• It rained every day.

• There were medical emergencies.

• The city was quiet.

• Cats and dogs were living on beaches.

• Stores and homes were being robbed.

Which words in the second stanza help support the meaning of the word looters in line 5?

• watched, day

• siphon, take

• speed, car

• ambulances, police

How does the alliteration in lines 8-9 impact the poem?

• It emphasizes setting details.

• It provides characterization.

• It reflects the point of view.

• It matches the rhyme scheme.

What is the narrator's brother doing in the fourth stanza?

• Looking for work at the church

• Passing out supplies to people in the city

• Helping neighbors make donations

• Searching for spiritual guidance

Why does the narrator’s brother take a job as a watcher?

• He had a job as a watcher before the hurricane, so he went back to it.

• The electricity was out, so he could not return to his old job.

• There was no other work available after the hurricane.

• He was tired of sitting around doing nothing after the hurricane.

The last stanza of the poem contains only one line in order to —

• Reflect the loneliness the brother felt doing his new job

• Give the reader a chance to pause and think about the poem

• Emphasize the hope that there will be no more death

• Show how the whole city changed after the hurricane

How does the narrator's brother change from the beginning of the poem to the end? Support your answer with evidence from the poem.

Describe how the structure of the last three stanzas affects the tone of the poem.