Question

read this stanza from emily dickinson’s \hope is the thing with feathers\.

and sweetest in the gale is heard;
and sore must be the storm
that could abash the little bird
that kept so many warm.

what is the connotation of the word \storm\?
○ a bad weather disturbance
○ a troubling piece of information
○ a sudden rain outburst
○ a strong emotional reaction

Explanation:

To determine the connotation of "storm" in the poem, we analyze the context. The "little bird" represents hope. A storm that could "abash" (humiliate or dismay) this hope - representing bird would be a strong emotional reaction or a difficult situation that challenges hope. Option A is the denotation (literal meaning) of storm, not connotation. Option B doesn't fit the context of the poem which is about hope and its challenges. Option C is also a literal weather - related meaning. So the connotation of "storm" here is a strong emotional reaction or a challenging situation to hope.

Answer:

D. a strong emotional reaction