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Difficulty: MediumLiterary Devices and Figurative Language

Read the following English translation of an excerpt from the poem 'Rocking' ('Meciendo') by the Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral:

'The sea rocks its thousands of waves,
divinely.
Hearing the loving seas,
I rock my child.

The wandering wind in the night
rocks the wheat fields.
Hearing the loving winds,
I rock my child.'

Which of the following best describes the primary function of the personification of nature ('loving seas', 'loving winds') in this excerpt?

  1. A
    To suggest that the sea and wind are literally conscious beings capable of human affection.
  2. B
    To show that the child feels fear and seeks protection from the turbulent elements of nature.
  3. To establish a harmonious connection between the speaker's act of nurturing her child and the rhythms of the natural world.Answer
  4. D
    To create a chaotic and unpredictable atmosphere that reflects the speaker's internal anxiety.

Answer

The option establishing a harmonious connection between the speaker's act of nurturing her child and the rhythms of the natural world is correct because the personification of the seas and winds as 'loving' draws a direct parallel between the speaker's motherly care and the nurturing forces of the universe.
The correct answer correctly identifies that the personification of natural elements ('loving seas', 'loving winds') serves to align the speaker's act of rocking her child with the nurturing, rhythmic forces of the universe, demonstrating a deep harmony between motherhood and nature.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the figurative language used in the poem, specifically the personification of the sea ('loving seas') and the wind ('loving winds').
Identify that nature is attributed with human emotions ('loving') and actions ('rocking' its waves and wheat).
Understanding the literal and figurative meaning of the device is essential for determining its function.
2
Analyze the relationship between the natural elements and the speaker's actions.
Observe that the speaker's action of rocking her child ('mezo a mi niño') mirrors the actions of the sea and the wind rocking their respective elements.
This connection reveals how the personification serves to elevate the personal act of motherly care to a universal level.
3
Evaluate the options to find the one that best captures this relationship without falling for literal interpretation or misattribution of tone.
Select the option that explains the harmonious connection between maternal nurturing and natural rhythms.
This selection directly demonstrates comprehension of the literary device's thematic purpose in the text.

Key Concept

Understanding how personification connects personal experience to universal themes in poetry.
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Topics

Literary Devices and Figurative Language

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