To My Nine Year Old Self

Question 1

Watch the way I move

Answer 1

Imperatives create a negative view of an authoritative adult figure while the lack of mobility is also a negative side effect of age

Question 2

Eager to be gone

Answer 2

Child self finds elderly tedious. May also be irony as it refers to a desire to become elderly fast although the youth narrator seems to dislike them

Question 3

Uneven line length

Answer 3

Allude to difficulties of growing up

Question 4

Rope that swings from tree

Answer 4

Images of suicide , metaphorical death of child self . This disconnection means challenges made her a completely new person

Question 5

We vs you

Answer 5

Pronouns refer to the disconnection the poet feels to her youth

Question 6

Long buried in housing

Answer 6

Childhood memories being overcome by thoughts of housing or maybe literally her childhood play areas have become housing

Question 7

Men in cars after girl children

Answer 7

Juxtaposes innocence in stanza just like the adult world is contrasting the innocence and freedom children should have

Question 8

Scared lanes

Answer 8

Hypallage as the girls are scared not lanes indicates hidden fear of childhood by adults . Hidden due to the deception of the hypallage