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Difficulty: MediumLiterary Devices and Figurative Language

Read the following English translation of the poem 'I Cultivate a White Rose' by the Cuban writer José Martí:

'I cultivate a white rose
In July as in January,
For the sincere friend
Who gives me his hand frankly.

And for the cruel one who tears out
The heart with which I live,
I cultivate neither nettles nor thorns;
I cultivate a white rose.'

Based on the speaker's use of the 'white rose' as a metaphor, which of the following best describes the speaker's attitude toward those who wrong him?

  1. A
    He intends to grow actual flowers in winter and summer to cope with the pain of betrayal.
  2. B
    He feels bitter and resentful but hides his true feelings behind a polite public persona.
  3. He chooses to offer peace and goodwill instead of harboring malice or seeking revenge.Answer
  4. D
    He experiences a shift in his emotional state from deep despair to lighthearted optimism as the seasons change.

Answer

He chooses to offer peace and goodwill instead of harboring malice or seeking revenge.
The correct answer is correct because the speaker uses the 'white rose' as a symbol of peace, friendship, and clean intentions. By cultivating it for both his friend and the 'cruel' person who causes him pain, and by explicitly refusing to grow harmful plants like 'nettles nor thorns,' the speaker demonstrates a willingness to offer peace and forgiveness rather than seeking revenge or harboring malice.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the central metaphor of the 'white rose' in the poem and how the speaker applies it to both a friend and an enemy.
The speaker cultivates a white rose for both the 'sincere friend' and the 'cruel one' who wrongs him.
Understanding who receives the rose is essential to deciphering the metaphor's overall meaning.
2
Analyze the meaning of the contrasting elements: 'nettles nor thorns' versus the 'white rose'.
The speaker explicitly rejects cultivating hostile or painful things ('nettles nor thorns') for his enemies, opting instead to cultivate the same symbol of peace ('white rose') for them as he does for his friends.
This contrast highlights that the speaker responds to cruelty with peace rather than resentment or vengeance.
3
Connect the metaphorical action of cultivating a white rose for enemies to the speaker's overall attitude.
The attitude is one of peace, forgiveness, and goodwill.
This aligns with the choice representing peace and goodwill instead of malice or revenge.

Key Concept

Understanding the metaphorical significance of symbols in poetry to deduce speaker attitude.
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Topics

Literary Devices and Figurative Language

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