Teenagers and Hanging Fire

In “Hanging Fire,” what does the poet imply by repeating and momma’s in the bedroom / with the door closed at the end of each stanza?

• The speaker thinks her mother is lonely.

• The speaker wants to open the door and surprise her mother.

• The speaker feels isolated from her mother and is lonely.

• The speaker is proud that she can take care of herself without her mother.

The speaker of the poem, Hanging Fire, feels -

• proud to be a teenager

• dissatisfied with many aspects of her life

• optimistic about her future

• annoyed by her mother´s strict rules

In “Hanging Fire,” the poet describes the speaker’s fears and worries to give the reader insight into —

• common experiences many teens face on a daily basis

• unique experiences only the mother can understand

• moments the speaker would only discuss with a true friend

• struggles that frustrate every parent of a teen

In ¨Summer of His Fourteenth Year¨ the speaker -

• is angry because her son misbehaves

• does not understand why her son is so restless

• is filled with grief because her son has died

• accepts that change is a part of growing up.

What does the poet imply about the speaker’s relationship to her son in “Summer of His Fourteenth Year”?

• The speaker feels more distant from her son during his teen years.

• The speaker listens to her son as he describes his problems during his teen years.

• The speaker does not mind cleaning up after her son during his teen years

• The speaker helps her son pursue his interests during his teen years.

In “Summer of His Fourteenth Year,” which statement best describes adolescent challenges based on lines 20–24?

• Teens might still rely on their mothers in times of need.

• Teens might still rely on their mothers in times of need.

• Teens sometimes need a close connection to their mothers.

• Teens try to grow up by pulling away from their mothers.

The two points of view in the poems emphasize the challenges of adolescence by —

• showing teens’ desire to be independent from the teens’ perspectives

• illustrating teens’ thought process from an omniscient point of view

• showing teens’ and parents’ struggle with the transition to adulthood

• illustrating how parents feel frustrated by teens from a parent’s perspective

An important message about life in BOTH poems is

• teenagers are messy and sulky

• parents of teenagers are nagging and protective

• Communication between children and parents can be difficult during the teenage years

• Teenagers should be kinder to their parents