On "Not Waving but Drowning" by Stevie Smith.
The final stanza of “Not Waving but Drowning” is an example of _____.
(1 point)
Responses
allusion
personfication
extended metaphor
verbal irony
Allusion
The final stanza of "Not Waving but Drowning" by Stevie Smith is an example of verbal irony.
To determine the correct answer, let's analyze the final stanza of "Not Waving but Drowning" by Stevie Smith:
"Nobody heard him, the dead man,
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning."
In this stanza, the narrator describes how the dead man's true intentions were misunderstood. Now, let's match the stanza with each provided option:
1. Allusion: Allusion refers to a reference to a person, event, or place in literature. There are no direct references to any external person, event, or place in this stanza, so we can rule out allusion.
2. Personification: Personification involves attributing human characteristics to non-human things or abstract concepts. While the dead man is described as moaning, this does not fully fit the concept of personification, as the dead man is already human. Therefore, we can eliminate personification.
3. Extended metaphor: An extended metaphor is an extended comparison between two unrelated things throughout a passage or a poem. The final stanza does not explicitly include a comparison between unrelated things, so we can eliminate extended metaphor.
4. Verbal irony: Verbal irony involves the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning, often intending to be humorous or sarcastic. The final stanza reveals a contradiction between the appearance of waving and the reality of drowning. Therefore, the correct answer is verbal irony.
In conclusion, the final stanza of "Not Waving but Drowning" by Stevie Smith is an example of verbal irony.
On "Not Waving but Drowning" by Stevie Smith.
Use the following free-to-share copy of the poem to cite your reasoning.
Nobody heard him, the dead man,
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning.
Poor chap, he always loved larking 1
And now he’s dead
It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,
They said.
Oh, no no no, it was too cold always
(Still the dead one lay moaning)
I was much too far out all my life
And not waving but drowning
Apologies for the confusion earlier. After examining the final stanza of "Not Waving but Drowning" by Stevie Smith:
"Nobody heard him, the dead man,
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning."
Upon further consideration, it can be argued that the final stanza is an example of extended metaphor rather than verbal irony.
The metaphor in this stanza is extended throughout the poem, with the dead man's apparent waving representing his desperate cries for help being misunderstood by others. The concept of drowning is used metaphorically to represent the narrator feeling isolated, unnoticed, and unheard throughout their life. The stanza reveals the true meaning behind the dead man's actions, which were misinterpreted as waving when they were actually a cry for help.
This extended metaphor highlights the theme of communication breakdown and the disconnect between one's external appearances and internal struggles. Therefore, the correct answer is extended metaphor.
To summarize, the final stanza of "Not Waving but Drowning" by Stevie Smith is an example of extended metaphor.