Psalm of Life
What does he mean when he says “be not like dumb driven cattle”?
Don’t follow the crowd
What does he mean when he says “the fate of a nation was riding that night”?
The future of the country was relying on him
Why did the fisherman warn the skipper not to go out on the sea?
There was a golden ring around the moon, he feared a hurricane
What does the light represent?
Death
What does the phrase “How the farmers gave them ball for ball,” mean in the poem?
The colonialists shot at the British as much as they shot at them
What was the main flaw of the sailors/skipper?
Pride
What does the girl do when she realizes her father is dead?
pray
What key piece of information is not included in this poem making it historically inaccurate?
That Paul Revere wasn’t the one who actually made the ride
The sailor says “I can weather the roughest gale.” What is a gale?
storm
What is ironic about the fact that this tragedy occurred at Norman’s Woe?
Woe means sadness or hardship
How is the speaker affected by the idea that “Life is but an empty dream”?
The speaker is provoked to disagree with this idea; they believe life is significant.
Who is the narrator speaking to in the poem?
The narrator is speaking to children, telling them the story of Paul Revere
What do church bells symbolize in the poem?
The threat of death
.Repetition is often used in poetry. What purpose may repetition serve the reader?
helps the reader to remember the poem
What years did Longfellow live?
1807 to 1882
What college did Longfellow teach at?
Harvard and Bowdoin
What do the gun shots represent?
The nearness of death
What state is Longfellow from?
Maine