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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 5 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. What feature of the Captain's face does line 17 focus on?
2. The poem's title and first line contain an example of which technique?
3. Line 6, "O the bleeding drops of red," is an example of which technique?
4. What does the phrase "swaying mass" refer to (line 12)?
5. What is the most common type of metrical foot in "O Captain! My Captain!"?
Short Essay Questions
1. What elements of the poem's diction establish a warm and personal relationship between the speaker and the captain?
2. Describe the form of "O Captain! My Captain!"
3. Explain the allegorical nature of the poem's central conceit.
4. What ironic contrast do the poem's images highlight?
5. What evidence is there that the speaker is struggling to understand and process the captain's death?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Write an essay that takes and defends a position about how the poem characterizes its own speaker--and by extension, how it characterizes the individual American. Offer evidence drawn from the poem's diction, figurative language, details, imagery, and structure as you defend your claims.
Essay Topic 2
How do the metrical and rhyme schemes of "O Captain! My Captain!" support the poem's larger thematic concerns? Write an essay that describes the rhyme and meter used in the poem. Then, tie these choices to Whitman's larger thematic concerns in this poem.
Essay Topic 3
Write an essay that considers the following: what message does the poem's central conceit send about the necessity of any one individual--even a president--to a collective effort like the preservation of the Union? Offer evidence from the poem to support your claims, and if you use outside sources for information related to the poem's historical background, be sure to cite these in MLA format.
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This section contains 643 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) |
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