Question

excerpt of \song of myself\
by walt whitman

a child said what is the grass? fetching it to me with full hands;
how could i answer the child? i do not know what it is any more than he.

i guess it must be the flag of my disposition, out of hopeful green stuff woven.

or i guess it is the handkerchief of the lord,
a scented gift and remembrancer designedly dropt,
bearing the owners name someway in the corners, that we may see and remark, and say whose?

what purpose does the rhetorical question serve in the highlighted selection in the passage?

• to show a conversation between the speaker and the child
• to encourage the reader to think about how they would answer the question
• to introduce facts about the topic at hand that whitman will introduce

Explanation:

Identify the highlighted selection

The highlighted line in the excerpt is: "How could I answer the child?" This is a rhetorical question posed by the speaker.

Analyze the context of the question

Using Walt Whitman Biography and Whitman Poetic Themes knowledge, we examine Section 6 of "Song of Myself." A child brings the speaker a handful of grass and asks, "What is the grass?" The speaker's immediate internal response is the rhetorical question: "How could I answer the child? I do not know what it is any more than he."

Determine the purpose of the rhetorical question

Applying Poetic Analysis, the rhetorical question "How could I answer the child?" is not meant to receive a literal answer from the child, nor does it introduce factual data. Instead, it prompts the reader to contemplate the profound, mysterious nature of the grass and how one would attempt to define such a simple yet infinite symbol of life. It invites the reader to share in the speaker's wonder and philosophical inquiry.

Evaluate the given options

• Option 1: "to show a conversation between the speaker and the child" — Incorrect. The question is an internal reflection, not an active dialogue.
• Option 2: "to encourage the reader to think about how they would answer the question" — Correct. It engages the reader's own contemplative thoughts.
• Option 3: "to introduce facts about the topic at hand that Whitman will introduce" — Incorrect. The poem explores symbolic and philosophical meanings, not scientific facts.

Answer:

• to show a conversation between the speaker and the child
• to encourage the reader to think about how they would answer the question (Correct answer)
• to introduce facts about the topic at hand that Whitman will introduce