Question

figurative language
excerpt from a christmas carol by charles dickens
and then let any man explain to me, if he can,
how it happened that scrooge, having his key in
the lock of the door, saw in the knocker, without
its undergoing any intermediate process of
change - not a knocker, but marleys face.
marleys face. it was not in impenetrable
shadow as the other objects in the yard were,
but had a dismal light about it, like a bad lobster
in a dark cellar. it was not angry or ferocious,
but looked at scrooge as marley used to look:
with ghostly spectacles turned up on its ghostly
forehead. the hair was curiously stirred, as if by
breath or hot air, and, though the eyes were
wide open, they were perfectly motionless. that,
and its livid color, made it horrible; but its horror
seemed to be in spite of the face and beyond
its control, rather than a part of its own
expression.
read the phrase from the
excerpt.
like a bad lobster in a dark
cellar
the poet includes this simile most likely to -
a describe the face as gloomy
b suggest the face is bright
c identify an unknown vision
d help the reader visualize a lobster
what does impenetrable mean?
a something solid
b cant see through
c a mystery
d a small shadow
short answer: what feeling does the
motionless eyes create?

Explanation:

• For the simile "like a bad lobster in a dark cellar":
• A lobster in a dark cellar is a gloomy image. The phrase is used to describe the face (Marley's face). So it's to describe the face as gloomy.
• For the word "impenetrable":
• "Impenetrable" means not able to be penetrated or seen through.
• For the motionless eyes:
• Motionless eyes can create a sense of fear or horror as they are unnatural and add to the eerie description of Marley's face.

Answer:

• First question: A. describe the face as gloomy
• Second question: B. can't see through
• Third question: Fear/Horror