Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- How would you describe the speaker's tone in the poem? How does her tone contribute to the poem's themes?
- Why does the girlchild go "to and fro apologizing"? What's the speaker trying to say in these lines?
- What's with the absurd imagery of the girl cutting off her nose and legs? Is there anything symbolic about the girl's actions?
- How is society at large portrayed in this poem? Do you agree or disagree with how the speaker depicts "everyone"?
- What's the point of the girlchild having a "putty nose" and wearing a "nightie" in her casket? How does this image make you feel? Why do you feel that way?