Question

1. the literary device in \they grow the fruit but eat/ the rind,\ is?

a. oxymoron
b. paradox
c. irony
d. metaphor

1. \the tales they tell...\ is an example of?

a. personification
b. hyperbole
c. alliteration
d. allusion

1. what does \they wrote the blues in screams\ metaphorically express?

a. the invention of jazz and blues
b. the pain and trauma expressed through cultural music
c. creativity rooted in pain and sorrow
d. a literal act of writing songs

1. which of the following best captures the tone of the poem?

a. humorous and carefree
b. celebratory and optimistic
c. bitter, reflective, and resilient
d. detached and analytical

1. how does angelou’s poem expand upon dunbar’s original theme in \we wear the mask\

a. by adding historical references and personal testimony
b. by rejecting the original theme
c. by focusing more on nature imagery
d. by making it purely about slavery

1. what does the phrase \living on the edge of death\ most likely mean in the context

poem?
a. engaging in risky behavior
b. the precarious and dangerous lives of black americans

Explanation:

1. The phrase describes a situation where people grow nourishing fruit but only eat the unwanted rind, a contradictory outcome that is an example of irony.
2. "The tales they tell..." repeats the initial "t" sound across consecutive words, which is the definition of alliteration.
3. "Blues" refers to a genre of music tied to suffering, and "screams" represent raw pain; the phrase links this cultural music to the expression of trauma.
4. The context of the questions points to a poem about Black American struggle, which carries a bitter, reflective tone while emphasizing resilience through cultural expression.
5. Maya Angelou's work often builds on Paul Laurence Dunbar's themes of Black identity and struggle by incorporating personal experience and historical context, rather than rejecting or narrowing the original theme.
6. In the context of Black American struggle poetry, this phrase refers to the constant danger and insecure, vulnerable existence faced by the community.

Answer:

1. C. Irony
2. C. Alliteration
3. B. The pain and trauma expressed through cultural music
4. C. Bitter, reflective, and resilient
5. A. By adding historical references and personal testimony
6. B. The precarious and dangerous lives of Black Americans