What is the function of the motif of fallen leaves in "Spring and Fall"?
A.
It sets the autumn scene.
B.
It promises renewal of the speaker's hopes.
C.
It conveys a theme of loss and death.
D.
It points out the child's misunderstanding.
http://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/hopkins/section4.rhtml
The answer is B
The answer is c. Asked my teacher and she said it.
To determine the function of the motif of fallen leaves in the poem "Spring and Fall," we need to analyze the text and consider relevant literary devices and themes.
First, we can look at the specific lines in the poem where the motif is mentioned. In "Spring and Fall," Gerard Manley Hopkins writes:
"Margaret, are you grieving
Over Goldengrove unleaving?
Leaves, like the things of man, you
With your fresh thoughts care for, can you?
Ah! as the heart grows older
It will come to such sights colder
By and by, nor spare a sigh
Though worlds of wanwood leafmeal lie"
From these lines, we can infer that the fallen leaves symbolize the changing seasons and the passage of time. The poem is addressed to a young girl named Margaret, who is witnessing the falling leaves of autumn. The speaker acknowledges her concern for the leaves but also suggests that as one grows older, they become less affected by such sights.
Based on this analysis, we can conclude that the motif of fallen leaves in "Spring and Fall" conveys a theme of loss and mortality (option C). It represents the inevitable cycle of life, the process of aging, and the realization that everything is subject to change and decay. The fallen leaves serve as a metaphor for the transitory nature of existence and the acceptance of loss.
Therefore, the correct answer is C. It conveys a theme of loss and death.