Final Review - Mirror by Sylvia Plath

______ Which word best characterizes the speaker in the first stanza of the poem? 

• Critical  

• Objective  

• Sympathetic  

• Annoyed 

______ The use of swallow in line 2 is an example of personification. What effect does it have on  the poem? 

 

• It reveals how hungry the mirror is for new images to consume.  

• It suggests the mirror reflects anything blocking its view of the wall.  

• It conveys the way the mirror completely consumes whatever it sees.  

• It explains why the mirror has grown tired of seeing the same things.

______ The metaphor eye of a little god in line 5 gives the impression that the mirror — 

• is serious  

• is cruel  

• controls all  

• sees all 

______ When turning to those liars, the candles or the moon in line 12, the woman — 

• avoids discovering her true self  

• recognizes her true identity  

• sees her true physical beauty  

• sees her true physical beauty  

  hopes to hear the truth about herself 

______ How does line 14 shape the meaning of the text? 

• It suggests that the mirror wants to communicate with the woman.  

• It suggests that the mirror enjoys watching the woman cry.  

• It confirms that the mirror is indifferent toward the woman’s feelings.  

• It confirms that the mirror is sympathetic toward the woman’s feelings. 

______ The two short sentences in line 15 of the poem contribute to a tone of — 

• detachment  

• cynicism  

• sarcasm  

• earnestness 

______ The poet uses the word drowned in line 17 to suggest — 

• the unavoidable passing of time  

• the eventual death of the girl  

• the woman’s acceptance of her aging  

   

   

• the woman’s sorrow at being alone

_____ The poem shifts in the second stanza by — 

• revealing the mirror’s feelings of anger 

• exploring the godlike nature of the mirror  

• focusing on the woman’s reactions  

• comparing the light with the darkness

______ Which two statements best describe the structure of the poem? 

• The poem emphasizes a steady beat.  

• The poem contains lines without a fixed meter.  

• The poem has a clear and regular rhyme scheme.  

• The poem maintains a strict syllabic count per line.  

• The poem is divided into two stanzas. 

______ Which two sentences best express possible interpretations of the simile in the last two lines of the poem? 

• The woman becomes more terrible each day. 

• The woman’s view of herself makes her grow older. 

• The woman loses a little bit more of her youth when she looks in the mirror. 

• The woman sees her image in the mirror move the same way a fish moves. 

• The woman’s view of her physical self grows more and more negative.