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Avarice
What does the poem suggest about the consuming nature of greed?
Evidence: “avarice gnaws”
Explanation: The verb gnaws implies greed slowly eats away at a person.
Avarice
How does imagery reveal that greed multiplies once it begins?
Evidence: “wanting more and more”
Explanation: Repetition of “more” shows desire expanding endlessly.
Avarice
What inference can be made about emotional emptiness caused by greed?
Evidence: “a hollow place”
Explanation: “Hollow” implies emotional or moral emptiness resulting from avarice.
Avarice
How does the poem portray greed as isolating?
Evidence: “left alone with it”
Explanation: The phrase indicates greed cuts someone off from others.
Avarice
What does the poem imply about greed’s long‑term effects?
Evidence: “it follows you”
Explanation: This suggests greed has lasting consequences that trail a person.
Avarice
How does diction convey the harshness of greed?
Evidence: “cold metal hunger”
Explanation: “Cold” and “metal” evoke hardness, reinforcing greed’s severity.
Avarice
Why is the object in the poem described so physically?
Evidence: “hard coin”
Explanation: The physical description symbolizes the solid, unyielding nature of greed itself.
Money
What does the poem suggest about humanity’s reliance on money?
Evidence: “we need it”
Explanation: The inclusive “we” portrays money as a universal necessity.
Money
How does personification reveal money’s influence?
Evidence: “money makes us”
Explanation: Giving money agency suggests its power over human behavior.
Money
What tension does the poem express about security?
Evidence: “safe… afraid”
Explanation: Juxtaposition shows money brings both comfort and anxiety.
Money
What does the poem imply about moral compromise?
Evidence: “what we’d sell”
Explanation: Selling implies exchanging values or integrity for money.
Money
How does the poem demonstrate pressure from financial demands?
Evidence: “and… and…”
Explanation: Repetition builds a sense of piling obligations.
Money
What does the poem suggest about how money affects identity?
Evidence: “money defines”
Explanation: Indicates that society often measures people’s worth monetarily.
The Good Life
What central idea does the poem express about happiness?
Evidence: “that glass of water”
Explanation: Simple necessities symbolize authentic contentment, shaping the central idea.
The Good Life
How does Smith develop the idea that hardship reshapes perspective?
Evidence: “we were broke”
Explanation: Acknowledging poverty establishes the conditions that lead to deeper appreciation.
The Good Life
What detail shows the poet’s purpose of redefining wealth?
Evidence: “it tasted like something”
Explanation: Finding meaning in something ordinary challenges conventional ideas of luxury.
The Good Life
How does communal experience contribute to the poem’s message?
Evidence: “we laughed”
Explanation: Shared joy supports the idea that relationships—not money—define a good life.
The Good Life
What detail highlights contrast as a structural tool in the poem?
Evidence: “poor” / “rich”
Explanation: The contrasting terms guide readers to evaluate what “richness” truly means.
The Good Life
How does the poem’s shift in tone support the central idea?
Evidence: “and yet”
Explanation: The pivot indicates a rethinking of values, reinforcing the message of simple abundance.
Avarice
How does the word “gnaws” shape the tone of the poem?
Evidence: “avarice gnaws”
Explanation: The verb gnaws creates a harsh, corrosive tone, suggesting greed slowly consumes a person.
Avarice
How does repetition of “more” contribute to the meaning of desire?
Evidence: “more and more”
Explanation: The repeated word emphasizes insatiability, reinforcing the theme of endless craving.
The Good Life
How does the reference to “that glass of water” shape the poem’s tone?
Evidence: “that glass of water”
Explanation: The simple image creates a tone of gratitude and grounded appreciation.
The Good Life
What tone does the word “broke” introduce into the poem?
Evidence: “we were broke”
Explanation: “Broke” evokes hardship, setting a reflective and humble tone.
Money
How does the verb “sell” contribute to meaning?
Evidence: “what we’d sell”
Explanation: “Sell” introduces a tone of moral questioning, suggesting ethical cost.
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