"President Lincoln's Declaration of Emancipation, January 1, 1863 by Frances E. W. Harper
It shall flash through coming ages,
It shall light the distant years;
And eyes now dim with sorrow
Shall be brighter through their tears
It shall flush the mountain ranges,
And the valleys shall grow bright;
It shall bathe the hills in radiance,
And crown their brows with light
It shall flood with golden splendor
All the huts of Caroline;
And the sun-kissed brow of labor
With lustre new shall shine.
It shall gild the gloomy prison,
Darkened by the nation's crime,
Where the dumb and patient millions
Wait the better-coming time.
By the light that gilds their prison
They shall see its mouldering key;
And the bolts and bars shall vibrate
With the triumphs of the free.
Though the morning seemed to linger
O'er the hill-tops far away,
Now the shadows bear the promise
Of the quickly coming day.
Soon the mists and murky shadows
Shall be fringed with crimson light,
And the glorious dawn freedom
Break refulgent on the sight.
2. The speaker uses literal description to show:
A) the effects of President Lincoln's Declaration of Emancipation.
B) an audience listening to a speech they care about.
C) the sun casting light on hills.*
D) people being put into prison.
3. How is the poem an analogy?
A) It reveals the way the Emancipation Proclamation improved Americans' lives for years, just like the way the sun cast light on the dark earth.**
B) It shows how learning how something works can make it more clear, just like the way sunlight makes things clear.
C) It depicts the way the President wanted everyone to admire the American landscape.
D) It is about the way the Emancipation Proclamation made people feel stuck, as if they were in prison.
4. Which of the following is the best paraphrase of the sixth stanza?
A) the day is coming over the hills, but shadows are still darkening the immediate surroundings.
B) the morning is lingering over the landscape, and shadows grow darker.
C) the day will be coming soon, but the shadows are somehow remaining despite the sun.
D) it seems like the morning is not coming soon, but the shadows reveal that the day is coming quickly.***
5. Which of the following words from the poem has a negative connotation?
A) splendor
B) vibrate
C) murky***
D) fringed
6. I'm not gonna ask for the answer since this is an essay question, but what does connotation and denotation mean? Could you provide examples of it please? Thank you!
1. I sit on the bank in my special place,
2. Feel the breeze that lifts my hair,
3. And watch the ripples run across the river.
4. It is so peaceful here.
5. Deep enough to justify a fishing pole,
6. Quiet enogh for my every thought,
7. The perfect place to contemplate
8. The world and my place in it.
9. Downstream, though, the river changes
10. From the one I know.
11. Its calm flow reaches rocky shallows
12. And starts to caper like a kitten
13. Darting and chasing shadows among the stones.
14. The river leaves the shallows at a run,
15. Rushing faster and faster--
16. A wildcat roaring past steep banks
17. And wild, wet rocks.
18. It claws and crashes in a furious flood,
19. Foaming and sptting as its fury is subdued
20. In the soothing depths of dark, still pools.
21. Tired and tamed by the journey,
22. The river transforms itself again.
23. Its power abates and it seems to move
24. With deliberation, slower and wiser,
25. Past towns that mark its passing and then
26. Go about their buisness.
27. One by one the towns pass by,
28. And the banks give way
29. To borders of salt-smelling mud marsh.
30. Without need for senseless shows of strength.
31. The river relaxes like an aging lion,
32. Done with the hunt and ready for rest.
33. The water slows until it reaches its destiny,
34. A place not too different from mine,
35. Where the water stretches to meet the sky-
36. Where others just like me use mirrored steam
37. To fish and contemplate
38. The world and their place in it.
9.Which line in the poem contains a simile?
A) Line 9
B) Line 16
c) Line 24
D) Line 31***
All my answers are ***. Thank you so much! Also, I might have already posted this, and if so, I apologize. My computer is being extremely weird.
Your answers are all excellent. Good work. For connotation and denotation, please look the words up. Do that any time you encounter a word that is new to you:
http://www.mirriam-webster.com
Thanks
You're correct! Here are the answers to the questions:
2. The speaker uses literal description to show: C) the sun casting light on hills.
3. How is the poem an analogy? A) It reveals the way the Emancipation Proclamation improved Americans' lives for years, just like the way the sun cast light on the dark earth.
4. The best paraphrase of the sixth stanza is: D) it seems like the morning is not coming soon, but the shadows reveal that the day is coming quickly.
5. The word from the poem that has a negative connotation is: C) murky.
6. Connotation refers to the emotional or cultural associations a word may have, while denotation refers to the literal or dictionary definition of a word. Here are some examples:
- Connotation: The word "snake" may have a negative connotation, associated with deceit or danger.
- Denotation: The denotative meaning of the word "snake" is a long, legless reptile.
- Connotation: The word "mother" may have a positive connotation, associated with love and care.
- Denotation: The denotative meaning of the word "mother" is a female parent.
And, regarding the last question:
9. The line in the poem that contains a simile is: D) Line 31.
No problem and you're welcome! Let me know if you need help with anything else.
1. The speaker uses literal description to show:
C) the sun casting light on hills.
In the poem, the speaker uses literal descriptions of the sun casting light on hills to convey the effects of President Lincoln's Declaration of Emancipation.
3. How is the poem an analogy?
A) It reveals the way the Emancipation Proclamation improved Americans' lives for years, just like the way the sun cast light on the dark earth.
The poem is an analogy because it compares the effects of the Emancipation Proclamation to the way the sun casts light on the dark earth. It suggests that the proclamation will bring brightness and improvement to the lives of African Americans, just as the sun illuminates and brightens the land.
4. Which of the following is the best paraphrase of the sixth stanza?
D) it seems like the morning is not coming soon, but the shadows reveal that the day is coming quickly.
In the sixth stanza, the speaker describes the morning as seeming to linger over the hilltops, creating a sense of delay. However, the shadows suggest that the day is actually approaching quickly. Therefore, the best paraphrase of the stanza is that while the morning appears to be taking its time, the shadows indicate that the day will soon arrive.
5. Which of the following words from the poem has a negative connotation?
C) murky
The word "murky" has a negative connotation as it suggests something dark, unclear, or clouded. In the context of the poem, it is used to describe the shadows, which can be seen as representing darkness or uncertainty.
6. Connotation refers to the emotional or cultural associations that a word carries beyond its literal meaning. Denotation, on the other hand, refers to the strict dictionary definition of a word without any emotional or cultural associations.
For example:
- Connotation: When we hear the word "home," we may associate it with feelings of warmth, comfort, and belonging.
- Denotation: The denotation of "home" is a place where one lives or feels comfortable.
Another example:
- Connotation: The word "snake" might evoke feelings of fear, danger, or deception.
- Denotation: The denotation of "snake" is a long, legless reptile.
Connotation and denotation help shape the overall meaning and impact of a word in different contexts.