Poem: The Moment; Practice & Quiz

belong to nature
Explanation: should not judge others by their appearance.The speaker is suggesting that people should not judge others by their appearance because appearances can be deceiving. People may look like they are happy and well-adjusted, when in reality they are not. Likewise, people may look like they are sad and depressed, when in reality they are not. appearances can be deceiving and people should not judge others based on them.

. . . the trees unloose / their soft arms . . .
Explanation: Line 3 includes an example of personification because the wind is given human characteristics. The wind is described as howling" and "screaming" which are both typically human actions."

spirits of nature
Explanation: In line 13, they" refers to the people who have been mentioned in the previous lines as having been killed in the war."

nature

an important insight
Explanation: The moment" in Atwood's poem can best be described as the present moment, or the here and now. The poem is about a woman who is looking back on her life and reflecting on all that she has experienced. The "moment" is the moment when she is looking back and reflecting on her life."

Answers will vary but should include points similar to the following: a. Atwood obviously spent a great deal of time observing nature. Her observations undoubtedly led to a deep understanding of and appreciation for nature. b. It is possible that her experiences with nature helped her see a "bigger picture"-that people, like all living things, are a part of nature. c. People are mortal. They cannot take their possessions with them; the natural world eventually claims all. The contrast between urban life and life in the wilderness may have made Atwood more aware of mortality, the human need for possessions, and the natural world. d. Atwood obviously respects and appreciates nature. Students may point to the images she creates in the second stanza: the trees unloose their soft arms from around you; the air moves back from you like a wave. Atwood's description of nature is very gentle.
Explanation: the natural world eventually claims all. The contrast between urban life and life in the wilderness may have made Atwood more aware of mortality, the human need for possessions, and the natural world. d. Atwood obviously respects and appreciates nature. Students may point to the images she creates in the second stanza: the trees unloose their soft arms from around you

Answers will vary (sample answer): That nature controls humans, that humans belong to nature and not nature belonging to us or humans controlling it.
Explanation: The speakers in the last stanza are reflecting on a time when things were different - when they were younger, and their parents were the ones taking care of them. Now that they are adults, they are the ones who are responsible for their parents. The speakers are saying that it used to be the other way around - their parents took care of them, and now they are taking care of their parents.

Answers will vary (sample answer): The wind moving the trees branches, the birds chirping, in other words "singing", the wind moving against and the cliffs around you getting bigger and bigger.
Explanation: The speaker in the poem is describing a time when they were out in a storm, and they came across a tree that had been struck by lightning. The tree was split in half, and the speaker could see the inside of the tree. They could see the tree's heart, and they could see the tree's soul. The tree was still alive, and the speaker could feel the tree's life force. The tree was fighting to stay alive, and the speaker could feel the tree's determination. The tree was also scared, and the speaker could feel the tree's fear.

journey in the wilderness
Explanation: The voyage in line 2 is most likely a reference to the speaker's life journey. This could be interpreted to mean that the speaker is reflecting on their life and what they have accomplished so far. Alternately, it could be seen as a more general statement about life and the journey that everyone must take.

Answers will vary widely, depending on students' personal experiences, situations, and viewpoints. Accept any answers that address the concern of the question and are elaborated by examples or details from the literature or from life.
Explanation: The poem The Moment" is about a moment in time when everything seems to stand still and the world is at peace. The speaker in the poem describes this moment as "the stillness of the world / when it holds its breath." To me, this moment represents a time of reflection and peace, when we can take a step back from the chaos of the world and just appreciate the beauty of the moment.If I were to make a film about "The Moment," I would try to capture the feeling of stillness and peace that the poem describes. I would use slow, calming music and shots of nature or people in moments of reflection. I might also use symbolism to represent the theme of the poem, such as a clock stopped at the moment the world is at peace. I would title my film "The Moment" to reflect the focus of the poem."

Answers will vary but should include points similar to the following: a. It seems part of human nature to work for years toward an accomplishment, such as owning a house, owning land, or even becoming a success at a job. b. After people have accomplished the "long voyage," they reflect on how far they think they have come ("knowing at last how you got there") and they feel satisfaction in saying, "I own this." c. At that same moment of reflection upon their lives, the natural world says that nothing is permanent. You cannot own anything. This may also be the moment when an individual begins to die, figuratively, because he or she has stopped striving. d. People are temporary ("a visitor"). They climb the hill (life) and claim something as theirs ("planting the flag"). The natural world (also the real world) offers the truth: People do not discover or own the natural world. People belong to the natural world.
Explanation:The poem The Moment" is about a moment in time when everything seems to stand still and the world is at peace. The speaker in the poem describes this moment as "the stillness of the world / when it holds its breath." To me, this moment represents a time of reflection and peace, when we can take a step back from the chaos of the world and just appreciate the beauty of the moment.If I were to make a film about "The Moment," I would try to capture the feeling of stillness and peace that the poem describes. I would use slow, calming music and shots of nature or people in moments of reflection. I might also use symbolism to represent the theme of the poem, such as a clock stopped at the moment the world is at peace. I would title my film "The Moment" to reflect the focus of the poem."

Answers will vary: explain your imagery described in the poem and how they view it in your head.
Explanation: The image that lingers in my mind after reading this poem is of a small, delicate flower blooming in the middle of a dark, cold forest. The poem describes the flower as being pale and fragile", with petals that "quiver in the breeze". There is a sense of fragility and vulnerability about the flower, which makes it all the more beautiful in contrast to its dark surroundings."