Answer the following questions on the poem “Digging” by Seamus Heaney who is a 20th century Irish poet.
1. The chief effect of the imagery and figures of speech in stanzas 6 and 7 is to
A. argue for the benefits of a hard day’s work
B. emphasize the effort involved in whatever pursuit a person undertakes
C. visualize the rows of potatoes in the field
D. characterize the poet’s family
2. In stanza 3 “rhythm” and “drills” refers to
A. routine activities that are necessary to each person who labors
B. methods by which the poet’s father accomplishes a task
C. examples of military training
D. illustrations of childhood memories
3. In stanza 4 one effect of “He rooted out tall tops…to scatter new potatoes that we picked” is to emphasize the speaker’s feeling of
A. recognition of the work his father made him do
B. admiration for a hard day’s work
C. realization that his father paved the way for him to do new and different work
D. resignation to a miserable work filled life
4. In the simile in stanza 1 the simile “gun” is used to stand for
A. a weapon of mass destruction
B. a symbol of strife in Ireland
C. a reference to the author’s suicidal thoughts
D. a tool grasped to do a task that lies ahead
5. The shift in the last 2 lines of stanza 7 from reminiscing of yesterday to a reality check for today has the effect of
A. a rude awakening to the poet concerning dull duty
B. a call to action for pride in his own type of work
C. a necessary interruption in the schedule of the poet
D. an unlikely reference to the poet’s imprisonment
6. In the work the author is asserting that
A. manual labor is a necessary evil of society
B. physical labor is not something he would lower himself to do
C. gardening can be enjoyed with the right attitude
D. pride in work can be cross-generational
7. In stanza 5 the syntax of these lines serves to
A. mark a short interlude in the poet’s thoughts
B. underscore the traditions that were multi-generational
C. undermine all of his father’s teachings
D. reference his father’s weaknesses and his grandfather’s strengths
8. The imagery in the poem is characterized by
A. repetitive adjectives
B. active verb forms
C. telegraphic thoughts
D. strong nouns
9. What is the chief function of the metaphor “living roots” in the next to last line of stanza 7?
A. a reference to the heritage and traditions passed down to other generations
B. a commentary on the need for more family socialization
C. an indictment of the downfall of the family
D. an argument for child labor laws
10. The purpose of the repetitive nature with a slight variation between stanza 1 and stanza 8 serves to
A. underscore the shift between indecision and active pursuit
B. mark a contrast in imagery used by the poet
C. relate the poet has ended where he began
D. contribute to the overall negative tone