Read the passage.
Excerpt from “A House Divided”
a speech by Abraham Lincoln
“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free.
I do not expect the Union to be dissolved—I do not expect the house to fall—but I do expect it will cease to be divided.
It will become all one thing, or all the other.
What does the house symbolize?
Abraham Lincoln’s home
the United States as a whole
a government building
the entire world
the United States as a whole
The house in this passage symbolizes the United States as a whole.
To understand the symbolism of the house in this passage, we can closely analyze the context and language used by Abraham Lincoln. In this speech, he states, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." From this statement, we can infer that the house is a metaphorical representation of a united entity.
Furthermore, Lincoln goes on to say, "I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free." This suggests that the house represents the government or political structure of the United States. Lincoln is addressing the issue of slavery and its impact on the unity and stability of the nation.
Therefore, in this passage, the house symbolizes the United States as a whole, particularly its government and politics. It signifies the division between the states and their stance on the issue of slavery. Lincoln expresses his belief that the nation cannot remain divided on this issue and that it will ultimately become entirely free or entirely slave.