Mother to Son

1. Beginning the poem with the word “well” has all but which of the following effects?

A) It frames what follows as the speaker’s measured conclusion.

B) It suggests a continuation of an ongoing dialogue.

C) It implies the son has not been listening carefully.

D) It establishes the poem’s conversational tone.

2. In the lines, ”And places with no carpet on the floor— / Bare. / But all the time” (Lines 6-8), which of the following contributes most to a shift in the poem’s message?

A) alliteration

B) colloquialism

C) enjambment

D) lineation

3. Which of the following lines contains an example of African American Vernacular English (AAVE)?

A) “Well, son, I’ll tell you” (Line 1)

B) “It’s had tacks in it” (Line 3)

C) “Don’t you fall now—” (Line 17)

D) “For I’se still goin’, honey” (Line 18)

4. Which of the following types of verse best describes “Mother to Son”?

A) free verse

B) blank verse

C) heroic verse

D) iambic pentameter

5. Which of the following describes the principal effect of anaphora (the repetition of an initial word or phrase) in “Mother to Son”?

A) It creates a sense of monotony that parallels the unchanging circumstances of the speaker’s life.

B) It underscores both the scope of the challenges the speaker faces and her persistence in the face of them.

C) It highlights the continuity of Black culture and traditions from one generation to the next.

D) It draws out the speaker’s message to ensure that her son fully absorbs the lesson.