Exploring Different Perspectives on Snakes in Poetry
Which best describes how the speakers in "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass" and "The Black Snake" view snakes?
A. The speaker in "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass" thinks snakes are very smart, while the speaker in "The Black Snake" thinks they are foolish animals.
B. The speaker in "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass" has a pet snake, while the speaker in "The Black Snake" does not.
C. The speaker in "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass" loves snakes, while the speaker in "The Black Snake" does not trust them.
D. The speaker in "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass" is afraid of snakes, while the speaker in "The Black Snake" is not.
Answer: B. "I think I read this a long time ago."
Answer:
The sentence that best describes how the speakers in "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass" and "The Black Snake" view snakes is "The speaker in "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass" is afraid of snakes, while the speaker in "The Black Snake" is not."
Both poems use a snake as a symbol of different things. In "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass," we observe the description of the snake from the perspective of a child, who sees it as a creature that could easily be mistaken for something else. The speaker in this poem expresses fear towards snakes.
On the other hand, in "The Black Snake," the snake is portrayed as a representation of the cycle of life. The speaker in this poem feels compassion for the dead snake and shows sympathy towards it. The snake symbolizes different themes and emotions in each poem.
While the speakers in the two poems have contrasting views of snakes, both poems explore the complexities and intricacies of human emotions towards nature and the world around us.