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ENG302B: American Literature

English
Ashford University
2 pages
Shared May 2025

This assignment covers key concepts and texts in American literature.

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Graded Assignment ENG302 B : American Literature | Unit 2 | Lesson 13 : Unit Test © 200 9 K12 Inc. All rights reserved. Page 1 of 2 Copying or distributing without K12’s written consent is prohibited. Graded Assignment Unit Test, Part 2 : American Renaissance Answer the questions using complete sentences. You may use your text to support your answers. (1 5 points) 1. Compare and contrast Emerson’s poem “The Snow - Storm” with Emily Dickinson’s poem “It Sifts from Leaden Sieves.” In what way s are their depictions of the snowstorms similar and different? How do the differences affect the mood of each piece? Answer: The most important difference I found in the two poems is that in Emily Dickinson’s “It sifts from the Leaden Sieves” the fact that it is snowing hasn’t been mentioned at all, the speaker is mor e concentrated on narrating his thoughts on the snow and she is so deep in thought s he fails to mention it at all, the snow is giving the speaker a profound sense of peace there hasn’t been any mention of any human interaction with the snow, only the change in natural surroundings are depicted. ”The Snow Storm” by Emerson is like an account by an excited young man who has been eagerly awaiting the snow. The snow has been shown as a huge travelling party arriving ami dst pomp and show and impacting everything around it. Also in E merson ’ s poetry the snowing and its effects have been shown to be going on and on as long as it snows and even after it stops snowing. whereas in Dickinson ’s poem snow seems to be going about its routine at an easygoing pace. Emerson is curious about the phenomenon , ‘ north wind's masonry; out of an unseen quarry’ is aware of the after effects thereby accepting it as a force beyond his control wh ich though beautiful can be very damaging. Dickinson on the other hand is seeing the event shrouded in a somber mood and is communicating her feelings through her narration. The two poems have similarities in their accounts of the snow storm in that both the speakers appreciate and acknowledge the snow , Dickinson mentions the snow covering acres and acres of harvest fields and decorating the base of street lights and posts while Emerson points out that the snow is covering rooftops and kennels and forming a mound on turrets both are consistent in describing these basic views after a snowfall and both poems give the indication that the fact the fallen snow is temporary is something tha t is very much present in their subconscious and both wish it could last a bit longer. Emily Dickinson’s “It Sifts from Leaden Sieves” highlights a sad mood. The mention of the overcast sky suggests some sort of crisis in the speaker ’ s life and the description of the snow is a mirror to her feelings. Ralph Emerson’s “The Snow Storm” is an account of young man who has been looking forward to the s now and upon its arrival he is e xpres si ng his views about it, H e realizes that it is not a very happy time for everyone, travel, transport is at a standstill, people have lost contact with their friends and there is loss of harvest amongst other things but nonetheless he is finds the beauty overwhelming and feels a little sad that his joy will be short lived. (20 points) 2. Choose a poem from Whitman , and explain how it reveals Romantic thinking. Cite examples from the poem as your support. Answer: Name: Date: Score Score
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