Question

question 17 of 17
read these lines from emily dickinsons \712\ (\because i could not stop for death\):

because i could not stop for death –
he kindly stopped for me –
the carriage held but just ourselves –
and immortality.

what is one purpose of the personification in this excerpt?

a. it links the concepts of death with the carriage.

b. it makes death seem friendly and familiar.

c. it compares growing old to taking a journey.

d. it makes the carriage seem like a peer to the speaker.

Explanation:

The personification here gives Death the human trait of being "kindly," which softens the typically fearsome image of death, framing it as a gentle, approachable presence rather than something terrifying. Option A is incorrect because the link between death and the carriage is not the purpose of the personification itself. Option C is unrelated, as the excerpt does not focus on aging. Option D is wrong because the personification applies to Death, not the carriage.

Answer:

B. It makes death seem friendly and familiar.