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Question 2
Instructions
Read the question carefully and select the best answer.
Which of the following answers best explains the significance of the title "Dusting"?
A. The title describes the activity of Beulah during the poem.
B. The choice of title is meant to highlight the tedious housework of all women at this time.
OC. Dove chooses to title her poem "Dusting" to underscore the repetition and dreary nature of her grandmother's married life.
OD. Dusting is a metaphor to describe the act of her pushing back the cobwebs of her memory.

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The title 'Dusting' signifies both the literal action within the poem and symbolizes the repetitive and underappreciated aspects of life, potentially reflecting on memory and the roles of women.

Step-by-step explanation:

The significance of the title "Dusting" in the context of the poem is multifaceted. While the title literally describes the activity of the poem's subject, it also metaphorically represents larger themes. These include the repetitive and often unnoticed chores that can represent one's life, especially when discussing the roles and expectations of women at certain times in history. It conveys the sense of something that is ongoing, perhaps mundane, and possibly never finished, much like the act of dusting itself. Additionally, one could interpret "dusting" as wiping away or addressing memories or issues of the past, as if clearing away cobwebs from one's mind. Therefore, the title sets the reader's expectations for both a literal and a metaphorical exploration of life and memory within the poem.

User Tony Tannous
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