reading compression WHEN MY FATHER WENT TO WALES When my father went to Wales in…

reading compression
WHEN MY FATHER WENT TO WALES When my father went to Wales in ’61 for his father’s funeral I was twelve and knew nothing. Death was real but remote, like the origin of the world or the Ed Sullivan Show. 1 But having touched my father death became a constant 10 in my world. Having taken his father my own was suddenly vulnerable to that theft, and from then on I guarded him with the magic of a twelve-year-old: words, 15 things, the power of thought unknown to him kept him free of that other’s possession. Once he came close to falling; I forgot or relaxed or was distracted 20 and he glimpsed his father’s world. Never again would I be so negligent. And though he will fall, as he must, into his father’s arms, I know it will not be the magic’s fault 25 or mine, or anything to do with failure. He will fall as we all must into a world which was once his own. and seeing his old man again he will be happy, and happy 30 will turn to brace his arms for me, following Dermot Mccarthy Canadian poet
22. When the speaker states “I was twelve and knew nothing” (lines 3 – 4), he means that he had not O travelled widely O been affected by loss O witnessed responsibility been separated from his family 23. That the speaker perceives death as being a constant threat is most directly communicated by O “from then on / I guarded him” (line 12-13) O “I forgot or relaxed” (line 19) O “Never again would I be so negligent” (line 21) “I know it will not be the magic’s fault” (line 24) 24. The phrase “that other’s possession” (line 17) is an indirect reference to O death’s finality O occult powers O family bonds
24. The phrase “that other’s possession” (line 17) is an indirect reference to O death’s finality O occult powers O family bonds O life’s futility 25. The lines that most clearly indicate the change in the speaker’s childhood experiences are O “I was twelve / and knew nothing” (lines 3 – 4) and “I guarded him with the magic / of a twelve year-old (lines 13-14) O “Death was real but remote” (line 5) and “death became a constant” (line 9) O “having touched my father ” (line 8) and “Having taken his father” (line 10) O “vulnerable / to that theft” (lines 11 – 12) and “free / of that other’s possession” (lines 16 – 17) 26. In saying “Never again would I be so negligent” (line 21), the speaker refers to his desire to accept his destiny
26. In saying “Never again would I be so negligent” (line 21), the speaker refers to his O desire to accept his destiny O resentment of his father’s freedom desire to support his father’s dreams O resolve to maintain the constant vigilance of his “magic” 27. The imagery in “he will be happy, and happy will turn to brace his arms for me” (lines 29 – 31) conveys mainly that death is a O release O journey O joyful reuniting natural phenomenon 28. The theme of this poem is most effectively enhanced by O contrast: the speaker places his childhood perceptions beside his adult perceptions O description: the speaker describes his attitude toward the world O narration: the speaker tells the reader a story
28. The theme of this poem is most effectively enhanced by O contrast: the speaker places his childhood perceptions beside his adult perceptions O description: the speaker describes his attitude toward the world O narration: the speaker tells the reader a story O exposition: the speaker explain the process of death 29. The speaker’s tone is one of O regret O nostalgia U acceptance O melancholy