Analyzing Layers of Meaning in Poetry

Question 20 • FL-1001345-English 2 CR

Read the excerpt from "Not Waving but Drowning” by Stevie Smith.I was much further out than you thoughtAnd not waving but drowning.

Answer

It emphasizes the uncaring detachment with which the speaker observes the dying person.

It represents both a person who is feeling overwhelmed and a person who is dying.

It shows that the dying person is aware of the danger they are in while playing in the water.

It highlights the tone of disbelief created by the image of a person who has swum out too far.

Explanation

The lines reveal that the person was farther from shore than others realized and was drowning, not waving for help. The water imagery also suggests someone who feels overwhelmed and unable to cope, so it represents both emotional distress and literal death. Choice B best captures both meanings.

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