Question

read the line:

ise like a curse on the trembling air.\
what does the use of the phrase
ise like a curse on the trembling air\ suggest?

a. the poet uses hyperbole to suggest that the mother’s cry is harmless and easily ignored.

b. the poet uses personification to show that the air is comforting and protective.

c. the poet uses simile and imagery to convey the mother’s cry as powerful and ominous, emphasizing the horror of slavery.

d. the poet uses metaphor to compare the cry to a blessing that brings peace.

Explanation:

• Option A: A curse is not harmless, so this is incorrect.
• Option B: The phrase doesn't show the air as comforting/protective, and "rise like a curse" is not personification.
• Option C: "Like" indicates a simile. "Rise like a curse on the trembling air" creates imagery, and a curse - like rise of a cry (likely a mother's cry related to slavery) conveys power and ominousness, fitting the horror of slavery.
• Option D: The phrase uses "like", so it's a simile, not a metaphor, and a curse is not a blessing.

Answer:

C. The poet uses simile and imagery to convey the mother’s cry as powerful and ominous, emphasizing the horror of slavery