POEM

1. 1. PART A. Which statement reflects a theme of the poem?

• Nature reflects humanity’s longing to transform into something beautiful.

• The gift of freedom depends on how individuals shape the world around them.

• There is magnificence in something that starts small and strengthens over time.

• Independence is borne out of necessary setbacks that allow for healing and growth.

1. 1. PART B. Which quotation supports the answer in Part A?

• “Weak pinelet that thou art,—/Trembling at every shock,” (lines 3-4)

• “How canst thou e’er withstand/Their might, or baffle them” (lines 9-10)

• “In ages yet to come/Thy stately form,/No longer dwarfed and dumb,” (lines 19-21)

• “Within thy shadows deep/Wild birds their tryst shall keep/And weave their nest.” (lines 28-30)

Why does the poet include the question “What song is in thy heart,/Thou puny tree?” in lines 1-2?

• to emphasize the message of potential and hope

• to establish the natural setting of the poem

• to highlight the way music reflects human emotions

• to create tension for the subject through belittling language

Read lines 7-12.

When rage o’er sea and land

The tempests wild,

How canst thou e’er withstand

Their might, or baffle them

With that frail, quivering stem,

Poor forest child?

What effect does the poet produce by including these lines?

• The poet establishes a feeling of wonder in the reader by emphasizing the weakness of the juvenile tree.

• The poet creates conflict by portraying the impacts of nature’s storms on trees.

• The poet develops a universal theme by establishing the ongoing battles of nature within the forest.

• The poet raises understanding in the reader by describing how the natural world ebbs and flows.

How does the speaker’s point of view shape the meaning of the poem?

• The speaker’s illogical point of view reveals a misunderstanding of life’s phases.

• The speaker’s enthusiastic point of view conveys a hope for change amid strife.

• The speaker’s biased point of view only assigns value to those who make contributions.

• The speaker’s reflective point of view shows a progression of maturity.

How does referring to the tree as “weak pinelet” and “a tiny bud” develop the theme of the poem?

• It gives an explanation for the title of the poem.

• It reveals the sympathy the speaker has for the tree.

• It misleads the reader about the tree's appearance.

• It reminds the reader of the simplicity of a forest.

It reminds the reader of the simplicity of a forest.

When rage o’er sea and land

The tempests wild,

How canst thou e’er withstand (lines 7-9)

But chanting to the breeze

Sublime, sweet melodies,

Shall breast the storm! (lines 22-24)

How do the descriptions in lines 7-9 and lines 22-24 reinforce the theme of the poem?

• They deepen understanding of the pine’s transformation.

• They reveal the lack of protection for the tree.

• They suggest that storms are more powerful than other parts of nature.

• They present vivid images of the damage the tree has sustained.

Read lines 31-32.

May such a lot be his

Who tends thee now!

How does this language impact the tone of the poem?

• The words create an admiring tone.

• The words create a defiant tone.

• The words create an expectant tone.

• The words create a nostalgic tone.

How does the speaker’s point of view affect the reader’s understanding of the poem?

• The speaker’s attention to detail allows the reader to feel each stage of the tree’s progression.

• The speaker’s use of exaggeration shows the extreme outcomes of each stage of the tree’s progression.

• The speaker’s worried tone helps predict the unlikely outcome at the end of the tree’s progression.

• The speaker’s lack of expression helps the reader realize the minimal changes in the tree’s progression.

How do the interactions between the tree and other forest creatures at the end of the poem highlight the meaning of the poem?

• The shifting interactions show the tree developing from childlike to protective and nurturing others.

• The static interactions show the tree serving the same purpose in its older days as in its childhood.

• The wavering interactions show the tree in its older days reverting back to a childlike role.

• The worsening interactions show the tree struggling more as an adult than in childhood.