hope is a thing with feathers (dickinson)

Question 1

what does the narrator see hope as

Answer 1

•sees hope as bird that resides in humans. persists without break singing constantly

Question 2

what rhyme scheme

Answer 2

•follows loose rhyme scheme of abcb conforming to the pattern of a ballad

Question 3

repitition

Answer 3

“that” and “and” are used several times throughout

Question 4

enjambent

Answer 4

•transition between lines three and four of second stanza

Question 5

metaphor

Answer 5

•the initial comparison between hope and a bird

Question 6

anaphor

Answer 6

•”and” starts a total of 5 lines

Question 7

what does she use the small bird to do

Answer 7

•used small bird to convey message indicating that hope burns in the harshest of storms, coldest of winds, and in the unknown of seas, yet never demands in return

Question 8

what does hope do

Answer 8

•hope persists continuously within us keeping us alive

Question 9

what does the narrator think hope can be deemed as

Answer 9

•narrator feels that hope can be deemed as a bird with feathers singing its own tune merrily

Question 10

the bird may not speak..

Answer 10

•a specific language yet it’s present in human souls

Question 11

hope is an

Answer 11

•eternal spring, it’s a vital constituent of human beings, enabling us to conquer uncharted territories

Question 12

what does hope hold over us

Answer 12

•hope wields an expansive power over us
•gets merrier and sweeter as storm gets mightier and relentless

Question 13

gets merrier and sweeter as storm gets mightier and relentless

Answer 13

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Question 14

can hope be taken away

Answer 14

•no storm can sway hope and it’s adamant attitude. it would take a deadly storm of astronomical power to flatten to the bird of hope

Question 15

what does the poem stress

Answer 15

•stresses that hope retains its clarity and strength in the harshest conditions yet doesn’t demand in return for its valiant services

Question 16

hope is inherently powerful

Answer 16

•it doesn’t need polishing, as it steers the ship from one storm to another with efficacy

Question 17

this poem is a

Answer 17

beautifully, metaphorical driven poem

Question 18

the bird asks

Answer 18

•nothing in return — it costs nothing for people to maintain hope

Question 19

what does the poem implore

Answer 19

•implores readers to make good use of hope and to see it as an essentially deeply valuable part of themselves

Question 20

what does the poet want the readers to see hope with

Answer 20

•wants readers to see hope with clear eyes and not take it for granted

Question 21

starting with “hope is a bird” would

Answer 21

•have same literal meaning but would feel much less surprising

Question 22

the surprise element helps establish the poems purpose of redefining hope

Question 23

“perches” in the soul, it’s its home

Question 24

sings without stopping, this perseverance is a representation of humanity’s infinite capacity for hope

Question 25

even in the depths of despair the poem seems to say that people can still have hope and that it’ll sustaincthem

Question 26

hope gives people strength to carry on and it’s at its most useful when circumstances are worst

Question 27

what does the poem initially define hope as

Answer 27

•initially defines hope as “the thing with feathers”. though obviously it’s a bird, the unusualness of first desc shows poem wants reader to look afresh at hope