Question

question 8 of 12

click to read \loveliest of trees, the cherry now\ by a. e. housman. then answer the question.

the narrator in housmans \loveliest of trees, the cherry now\ mentions his age while admiring the cherry trees. what theme does the narrator express by doing this?

a. he implies that we need to make the most of every day.
b. the narrator believes that he is too old to enjoy the blossoms.
c. the narrator wants the reader to know how old he is.
d. he and the cherry tree are the same age.

Explanation:

Analyze the narrator's reflection on age

In A. E. Housman's poem "Loveliest of trees, the cherry now," the narrator states he is twenty years old ("Now, of my threescore years and ten, / Twenty will not come again"). He calculates that he has only fifty years left to live and look at things in bloom.

Connect the calculation to the theme

Because fifty years is a relatively short time to appreciate the beauty of nature, the narrator decides to go about the woodlands in winter to see the cherry hung with snow. This calculation of remaining time emphasizes the brevity of life and the urgent need to appreciate beauty and make the most of every day (the carpe diem theme).

Evaluate the multiple-choice options

• Option A directly aligns with the carpe diem theme of making the most of our limited time.
• Option B is incorrect because the narrator is young (twenty) and actively goes to enjoy the blossoms.
• Option C is incorrect because stating his age is a means to calculate his remaining lifespan, not just an informational detail.
• Option D is incorrect as there is no comparison stating he and the tree are the same age.

Answer:

• (A) He implies that we need to make the most of every day. (Correct answer)
• (B) The narrator believes that he is too old to enjoy the blossoms.
• (C) The narrator wants the reader to know how old he is.
• (D) He and the cherry tree are the same age.