Under my window, a clean rasping sound When the spade sinks into gravelly ground: My father, digging. I look down –"Digging,” Se
amus Heaney Which statement best explains the effect of the word clean in this passage? It shows that the speaker does not like farming because he dislikes getting dirty. It draws attention to the differences between the speaker and his father. It suggests that the speaker finds the sound of digging to be pleasant and wholesome. It emphasizes that the speaker has many chores to do around the farm.
Answer: It suggests that the speaker finds the sound of digging to be pleasant and wholesome.
In this excerpt, the author is describing the sound of the spade hitting the ground as "clean." A clean sound is one that is smooth and performed without difficulty. It suggests that the person making the sound is skillful. It also implies a wholesomeness. The choice of words suggests that the speaker finds the sound pleasant.
