Question

Read the excerpt from Midsummer by Derek Walcott. With the stampeding hiss and scurry of green lemmings, midsummer’s leaves race to extinction like the roar of a Brixton riot tunneled by water hoses; The poem’s allusion to the 1981 Brixton riot illustrates what the streets and buildings of Brixton looked like. suggests that many different historical riots will be mentioned. illustrates the strong feelings associated with the poem’s subject matter. makes the reader feel confused about the historical reference.

Answer 1

Answer:

The poem's allusion to the 1982 Brixton riot:

C. illustrates the strong feelings associated with the poem's subject matter.

Explanation:

This excerpt was taken from part XXIII of Derek Walcott's "Midsummer". Born in 1930 in Saint Lucia, Walcott received several awards for his works, including the Nobel Prize. He passed away in 2017.

The simile we are analyzing here compares the summer leaves to the Brixton riot. This may seem to be quite an unlikely comparison, which is probably what the author was aiming for. It is quite powerful to compare a season to a riot and its violence. As a matter of fact, as the poem goes on, the author continues to do so. He compares, for instance, leaves and branches to cattle being whipped. All of that unusual comparison aims to illustrate the author's feelings toward his subject matter, which is clearly quite strong.