Poem: "Sestina: Like" (Stallings)
In lines 1–2, the speaker describes “Like” as a “semi‑demi goddess” primarily to emphasize which idea?
What is almost religious devotion people have to collecting "likes" on social media.
Line 28 (“Spring . . . wonder”) most clearly marks a shift in the speaker’s focus from the practical task at hand to
What is speculation about the nature of fences and boundaries.
Ignatius’ actions and thoughts in the final paragraph of the passage most clearly serve to convey his
What is self-centered focus on his own needs
Which of the following best describes how the contrast between Ignatius’ and the narrator’s perspectives contributes to the portrayal of Ignatius in the passage?
What is while Ignatius’ own thoughts and opinions indicate that he is an unusual person, the narrator’s description extends his unconventionality to being peculiar
This literary device gives human traits to nonhuman things, as in “the wind whispered through the trees.”
What is personification?
In lines 26-27 (“Displaces . . . nest”), the metaphor of “endangered hatchlings” suggests that “Like.”
What is to threaten to eliminate more sophisticated language
In the context of the poem, which image most fully reflects the speaker’s disapproval of the neighbor’s attitudes?
What is “He moves in darkness” (line 41)
In the second sentence of the first paragraph (“The green . . . once”), the description of Ignatius’ earflaps as being “like turn signals” contributes to the narrator’s overall tone of
What is mockery
In the first sentence of the passage, the description of Ignatius’ head as a “fleshy balloon” contributes to the narrator’s portrayal of Ignatius’
What is a distasteful physical appearance
When an author hints at future events in a story, this technique is called ___.
What is foreshadowing?
The repetition of versions of the word “like” at the end of each line of the poem primarily serves to
What is to create humor through repetition that builds in effect
How does the speaker’s repetition of the neighbor’s cherished belief about the importance of walls (lines 27 and 45) convey the poem’s criticism of an undesirable social pattern?
What is the speaker treats the neighbor’s words about fences as evidence of a world view that is closed-minded in general.
By juxtaposing the narrator’s commentary on Ignatius’ appearance with the narrator’s account of Ignatius’ inner thoughts, the first two paragraphs of the passage highlight the inconsistency between Ignatius’
What is judgmental attitude and his questionable clothes and grooming
In the last sentence of the first paragraph, Ignatius’ reference to “theology and geometry” conveys which of the following?
What is his pretentious use of abstract concepts to justify his own preferences
This figure of speech compares two unlike things using “like” or “as,” such as “her smile was like sunshine.”
What is a simile?
The simile in lines 21-22 (“like . . . subtitles”) primarily serves to illustrate
What is how crucial the word “like” is, to people’s ability to communicate with each other.
The repetition of line 1 (“Something . . . wall”) in line 35 most clearly reflects the speaker’s
What is unfulfilled impulse to share his personal reflections with the neighbor
The effect of the passage’s overall structure is to
What is to present Ignatius’ thought processes as they occur
How does the narrator’s use of simile in describing Ignatius’ earflaps as “like turn signals indicating two directions at once” contribute to the tone of the passage?
What is the simile creates a tone of mockery, making fun of Ignatius’ appearance and signaling the narrator’s critical, satirical view of the character.
The main character in a story who faces the central conflict is called the ___.
What is the protagonist?
Examine how Stallings uses metaphor, simile, and repetition to characterize “Like” and comment on contemporary speech. How do these devices contribute to the poem’s tone and message?
What is Stallings uses metaphor (calling “like” a “semi-demi goddess”), simile (“like a foreign film sans subtitles”), and repetition of “like” to show how overused and empty the word has become in modern speech. These devices create a playful, critical tone that comments on how social media and everyday conversation rely too much on “like,” diluting real meaning.
In Line 6 "them" refers to
What is " hunters" (line 5)
In context, Ignatius’ observations contrasting his own clothing with that of the people around him (paragraph 1) most clearly serve to emphasize
What is the unconventional nature of Ignatius’ priorities and values
How do the narrator’s physical descriptions of Ignatius (such as “fleshy balloon of a head” and “lips... filled with disapproval and potato chip crumbs”) shape the reader’s perception of his character?
What is these details emphasize his unattractive qualities and highlight the gap between his self-image and how others likely see him, making him appear both comical and unpleasant.
This is the term for the feeling or atmosphere a writer creates for the reader, often established through imagery and diction.
What is mood?