How is a literary device used to develop the tone in the stanza below?
Excerpt from Elizabeth Bishop’s poem “The Fish”
his brown skin hung in strips
like ancient wallpaper,
and its pattern of darker brown
was like wallpaper:
shapes like full-blown roses
stained and lost through age.
a. A fearful tone is developed through the use of symbolism*my answer*
b. A happy tone is developed through the use of imagery
c. A mysterious tone is developed through the use of onomatopoeia
d. A tone of wonder and awe is developed through the use of imagery
and metaphor. *correct answer*
The correct answer is d. A tone of wonder and awe is developed through the use of imagery.
In the given stanza, Elizabeth Bishop uses vivid and descriptive imagery to create a sense of wonder and awe. The comparison of the fish's skin to ancient wallpaper, with its strips and patterns, evokes a sense of age and history. The description of the "shapes like full-blown roses stained and lost through age" further emphasizes the beauty and significance of the fish. These visual details paint a picture in the reader's mind and contribute to the development of a tone of wonder and awe.
To determine how a literary device is used to develop tone in the given stanza, we first need to understand what the literary device is and how it functions. In this case, the device being used is imagery.
Imagery is the use of descriptive language that appeals to the readers' senses, creating mental images and evoking emotions. In the stanza, Elizabeth Bishop utilizes vivid imagery to describe the fish's appearance. She compares the fish's brown skin to "ancient wallpaper" and its pattern to "shapes like full-blown roses stained and lost through age."
Now that we have identified the literary device used, we can consider how it contributes to the tone of the stanza. Tone refers to the attitude or emotions conveyed by the writer. Analyzing the imagery used, it becomes clear that the description of the fish's appearance carries elements of weariness, age, and decay. The comparison of the fish's skin to old wallpaper and the mention of it becoming stained and lost through age alludes to the passage of time and a sense of deterioration. This imagery develops a tone of solemnity and perhaps even sadness.
Therefore, based on the explanation provided above, the correct answer is: a) A fearful tone is developed through the use of symbolism.