In the poem "Harlem II," the speaker asks, "What happens to a dream deferred?" and offers several images in the form of rhetorical questions. Some examples of these images are "Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore-- and then run?... Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?" These images largely say what about deferring a dream? (1 point)
1. it's perfectly acceptable to put off your dreams until you find a better time in the future to work on achieving them
2. it's powerfully bad and maybe even dangerous to put off your dreams until later
3. dreams don't really matter at all, so don't bother dreaming about future possibilities
4. Dreams are for nighttime only
The correct answer is 2. it's powerfully bad and maybe even dangerous to put off your dreams until later. The images in the poem suggest that deferring a dream can have negative consequences, such as it drying up, festering, sagging, or even exploding.
The images in the poem "Harlem II" largely say that deferring a dream is powerfully bad and maybe even dangerous (option 2). The poem suggests that deferring or delaying a dream can have negative consequences, comparing it to a dried-up raisin, a festering sore, a heavy load, or even an explosive situation. This indicates that the speaker believes that putting off dreams can have detrimental effects.
The correct answer is option 2. In the poem "Harlem II," the images presented by the speaker strongly imply that deferring a dream is powerfully bad and perhaps even dangerous. The speaker uses vivid and intense imagery to convey the negative consequences of postponing or neglecting one's dreams. The images of a dried-up raisin, a festering sore, a sagging heavy load, and an explosive outcome all suggest the negative and potentially destructive outcomes of delaying or abandoning one's dreams. These images are used to emphasize the importance and urgency of pursuing one's dreams rather than deferring them indefinitely.
