Mirror

Question 1

What does the mirror in the poem claim about its nature?

Answer 1

It is truthful and exact, but not cruel.

The mirror lacks human qualities such as sympathy and empathy.

Question 2

What does the woman seek to obscure her reflection in the lake?

Answer 2

A light, such as a candle or the moon.

She is unhappy with her reflection.

Question 3

What is the significance of the woman’s reflection in the water?

Answer 3

Her past is drowning, and a horrible future is rising to meet her.

Question 4

What does the phrase ‘I am not cruel, only truthful’ imply?

Answer 4

The mirror justifies its nature without softening the painful truth.

Question 5

What metaphor is used to describe the mirror’s perspective?

Answer 5

The eye of a little god.

Question 6

How does the poem personify the mirror?

Answer 6

The mirror speaks in the first person and justifies itself.

This personification gives the mirror human characteristics.

Question 7

What does the phrase ‘Whatever I see I swallow immediately’ suggest about the mirror?

Answer 7

It reflects everything instantly and without alteration.

Question 8

What does ‘unmisted by love or dislike’ mean in the context of the mirror?

Answer 8

The mirror is unaffected by human emotions.

Question 9

What does the mirror mean by stating ‘I have no preconceptions’?

Answer 9

It reflects without prejudice or assumptions.

Question 10

What effect does the repetition of ‘I’ in the poem have?

Answer 10

It shows the pride and almost arrogance of the mirror.

Question 11

What is described as ‘pink, with speckles’ that the mirror meditates on?

Answer 11

The opposite wall.

Question 12

What separates the mirror from the faces it reflects?

Answer 12

Faces and darkness.

Question 13

Fill in the blank: The poem relies on _______ to convey its message.

Answer 13

personification.

Question 14

True or False: The mirror is depicted as having warmth and human-like empathy.

Answer 14

False.

Question 15

What metaphor is used to describe the mirror in the poem?

Answer 15

Now I am a lake

This metaphor suggests depth and reflection, indicating the mirror’s role in revealing the woman’s true self.

Question 16

What does the woman search for in the mirror?

Answer 16

What she really is

This indicates her quest for self-identity and understanding, beyond mere physical appearance.

Question 17

What does the woman turn to after looking in the mirror?

Answer 17

Those liars, the candles or the moon

This suggests that alternative light sources distort reality, unlike the mirror’s truthful reflection.

Question 18

How does the mirror describe its reflection of the woman?

Answer 18

Reflect it faithfully

This indicates the mirror’s role as an unbiased observer, showing exactly what it sees.

Question 19

What does the woman reward the mirror with?

Answer 19

Tears and an agitation of hands

This implies her emotional response to her reflection, indicating dissatisfaction or sadness.

Question 20

What does the phrase ‘She comes and goes’ imply about the woman’s relationship with the mirror?

Answer 20

The woman cannot stay away

This suggests an ongoing struggle with self-image and the passage of time.

Question 21

What does the mirror think is part of its heart?

Answer 21

It flickers

This suggests a transition from a purely objective tool to something that experiences emotions.

Question 22

What separates the mirror and the woman at times?

Answer 22

Faces and darkness

This symbolizes the distractions and emotions that can obscure self-perception.

Question 23

What does the mirror see most of the time?

Answer 23

The opposite wall

This indicates the mirror’s static existence, primarily reflecting the same surface.

Question 24

What color is the opposite wall that the mirror meditates on?

Answer 24

Pink, with speckles

This detail emphasizes the mundane aspect of the mirror’s existence, contrasting with the deeper emotional themes.

Question 25

What does the woman drown in the mirror?

Answer 25

A young girl ## Footnote This symbolizes the loss of youth and the inevitable passage of time reflected in the woman's aging.

Question 26

What rises toward the woman day after day, according to the mirror?

Answer 26

An old woman, like a terrible fish ## Footnote This vivid imagery reflects the woman's fear of aging and the stark reality of her appearance.

Question 27

True or False: The mirror feels emotions like love.

Answer 27

True ## Footnote The mirror transitions from a mere object to something that experiences feelings, indicated by its contemplation of the woman.

Question 28

Fill in the blank: The mirror believes it has fulfilled its role even if the woman is _______.

Answer 28

angry ## Footnote This highlights the irony of the mirror's perspective on its function in reflecting reality.

Question 29

What does the phrase 'Those liars' refer to?

Answer 29

Candles or the moon ## Footnote This suggests that these sources of light can create misleading reflections, contrasting with the mirror's accuracy.

Question 30

What does the woman examine when looking in the mirror?

Answer 30

Her outer features and inner turmoil ## Footnote This indicates a complex relationship with self-identity, as the woman seeks to understand both her appearance and emotions.

Question 31

What metaphor is presented in the phrase 'In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman'?

Answer 31

Compares the disappearance of a woman’s youth to someone drowning ## Footnote The young girl symbolizes lost youth, while the old woman represents the inevitable aging process.

Question 32

What effect do short sentences have on the tone of the poem?

Answer 32

Give a clipped effect with a matter-of-fact tone ## Footnote Simple sentences create a straightforward presentation of facts.

Question 33

How many stanzas and lines are in the poem?

Answer 33

2 stanzas, 9 lines in each stanza

Question 34

What is the allusion made in the poem to Greek mythology?

Answer 34

Narcissus ## Footnote Narcissus was a beautiful young man who fell in love with his own reflection.

Question 35

What is the significance of the character Echo in the Narcissus myth?

Answer 35

She fell in love with Narcissus but was rejected, ultimately leading to her despair and demise.

Question 36

Who punished Narcissus for his behavior and how?

Answer 36

Nemesis punished him by leading him to a pool where he fell in love with his own reflection.

Question 37

What is the connection between Narcissus and narcissistic personality disorder?

Answer 37

The term 'narcissist' originated from the myth of Narcissus, who was obsessed with himself.

Question 38

What does the mirror imply in line 4?

Answer 38

It reflects the woman's true self as she ages.

Question 39

Why does the mirror 'meditate' on the opposite wall?

Answer 39

To observe the reflection of the woman and her changing appearance.

Question 40

What does the mirror mean by 'faces and darkness separate us over and over'?

Answer 40

It indicates the recurring theme of separation from youth and beauty.

Question 41

Identify the figure of speech in line 10.

Answer 41

Simile ## Footnote The poem uses simile to enhance imagery, comparing the old woman to a terrible fish.

Question 42

Why does the woman react with 'tears and agitation'?

Answer 42

She is confronted with the reality of aging and loss of beauty.

Question 43

Discuss the imagery used in lines 17 and 18.

Answer 43

Imagery evokes feelings of despair and the inevitability of aging.

Question 44

What is the effectiveness of having the mirror speak personally to the reader?

Answer 44

It creates a direct and intimate connection, enhancing the poem's emotional impact.

Question 45

What is the tone of the poem?

Answer 45

Melancholy and bitter

Question 46

What theme does the poem exemplify?

Answer 46

Tensions between inner and outer selves, and the feminine problem of aging and losing beauty.

Question 47

Fill in the blank: The old woman rises toward her day after day, like a _______.

Answer 47

[terrible fish]