View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What color are the Brazilian warehouses?

2. What question does Bishop ponder in "Brazil, January 1, 1502"?

3. What is depicted in "Manuelzinho"?

4. Who is traveling on a wagon in "Manners"?

5. In "Large Bad Picture," how does Bishop portray the flying birds?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is similar about the poems in North and South devoted to morning?

2. Why does "Arrival at Santos" end with the tour group heading toward the interior of Brazil?

3. In "Electrical Storm," why are the pearls twice described as dead?

4. What is the significance of the trees capturing the music in "View of the Capitol from the Library of Congress"?

5. What is Bishop comparing in "Large Bad Picture" when she refers to "commerce or contemplation"?

6. How does Bishop portray the hermit's loneliness in "Chemin de Fer"?

7. In what form is "The Burglar of Babylon" written? Why does the poet use this form?

8. How does Bishop use humor in "Manners"?

9. How does Bishop liken an iceberg to the soul in "The Imaginary Iceberg"?

10. Does Bishop see the ocean as ever-changing or never changing in the poems in Cold Spring?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"In the Waiting Room" is unique among Bishop's poems in that it details a critical moment in the poet's childhood. Discuss the specific details of the experience and describe what this moment means for the young Bishop. Can you relate it to any themes from the poet's adulthood that are revealed in any of her other poems? Do you see this poem as more personal, or more universal, and why?

Essay Topic 2

Much of Bishop's poetry relates to geography. Citing specific poems, including "The Map," "Over 2,000 Illustrations and a Complete Concordance," "Brazil January 1, 1502," and the introduction to Geography III, discuss the importance of geography in Bishop's work. How does she see it? Why is it so important to her? How does it frame who she is, her subject matter, and her approach?

Essay Topic 3

What does "12 O'Clock News" tell us about Bishop's unique powers of observation and her ability to see things from a different perspective? Why do you think she chose to present the items in terms of newspaper stories? Do you think she is merely being playful, or is this a more serious commentary on journalism? Use specific examples from the poem to support your claim.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 768 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample