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7 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back

The mood or atmosphere is one of sadness, sorrow, pain, and gloom. List as many words or phrases from the poem that suggest this.

deep, dark, winter, alone, silent, no need of friendship, friendship causes pain, pain, its laughter and its loving I disdain, died, cried, hiding in my room, safe within my tomb

How does the setting contribute to the mood or atmosphere of the poem?

The December’s winter’s day makes the poem seem more gloomy and the weather is cold like the speaker’s personality and heart. When he/she is gazing out the window, it shows sadness and depression. The speaker is hiding in his/her room with books and poetry which represents how he/she is cut off from the rest of the world and from friendships and love.

What has caused the speaker pain in his/ her life?

I think the speaker fell in love and was betrayed or the love had to end for a reason beyond his/her control (death, she/he moved, etc.). It could also be based on a friendship that he/she was betrayed by.

How does the speaker deal with the pain and anger he/she is feeling?

The speaker cuts himself/herself off from the rest of the world and hides in his/her room reading books and poetry. He doesn’t talk to others and tries to have no feelings.

Is this a constructive or proper way of dealing with these feelings or emotions? What could be some possible, better alternatives?

This is not a good way of dealing with his/her feelings. She/he should go outside and try to fall in love again and make friends. Making friends would help him/her to mend much better than hiding in their room feeling sorry for himself/herself.

The speaker describes himself as a rock or an island. Why are these metaphors suitable descriptions of the speaker?

These are suitable descriptions of the speaker because it represents how the speaker doesn’t have feelings and doesn’t feel pain. The island metaphor makes sense because often islands are deserted and that is the way the speaker tries to be- cut off from the other people (land) and by himself/herself.

There are many images of death in the poem. List the words or phrases that suggest death. What has died in the speaker?

- It’s sleeping in my memory, I won’t disturb the slumber of feelings that have died (reference to the love/hope dying)


- tomb


- shroud


- The feelings of love and compassion have died in the speaker and the speaker chooses to not try to mend his brokenness.