Question

Read the fifth stanza of "the hill we climb." so let us leave behind a country better than the one we were left with. every breath from my bronze-pounded chest, we will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one. we will rise from the gold-limbed hills of the west. we will rise from the windswept northeast, where our forefathers first realized revolution. we will rise from the lake-rimmed cities of the midwestern states. we will rise from the sunbaked south. we will rebuild, reconcile and recover. and every known nook of our nation and every corner called our country, our people diverse and beautiful will emerge, battered and beautiful. when day comes we step out of the shade, aflame and unafraid, the new dawn blooms as we free it. for there is always light. if only we’re brave enough to see it. if only we’re brave enough to be it. –"the hill we climb," amanda gorman why does the speaker mention "the windswept northeast, where our forefathers first realized revolution"? a) To reference the ideals that the nation was built upon.

b) To describe the US as a nation that can face any storm.
c) To describe the struggles that the country has recently faced.
d) To reference the winds of change that can happen during an election.

Answer 1

The speaker's mention of "the windswept northeast, where our forefathers first realized revolution" in Amanda Gorman's poem is to reference the foundational values and the spirit of change associated with the American Revolution, aligning with the historical pursuit of the nation's democratic ideals.

Step-by-step explanation:

The speaker in Amanda Gorman's "The Hill We Climb" mentions "the windswept northeast, where our forefathers first realized revolution" to draw a connection to the foundational values of the United States and the profound changes that started with the American Revolution. This reference serves to remind us of the idealism and courage that were central to the nation's founding, representing a starting point for societal transformation and the ongoing struggle to achieve the nation's democratic ideals. In this context, the mention is not merely about facing literal storms or recent struggles but rather invokes the spirit of change and the historical moments when America fought for its revolutionary ideals.

In the broader scope of American history, this stanza invites reflection on the nation's past and its aspirations for a better future. Voices like John O'Sullivan's in 1839 framed America as a new world of human progress unburdened by old-world constraints. However, this view is complicated by the saws of the untrodden space that excluded numerous groups based on race, gender, and nationality. Similarly, the contrasting visions depicted in works like "American Progress" highlight the nation's complex legacy of expansion and progress mingling with displacement and suffering.

The mention thus aligns with a broader, more introspective view about the American identity, acknowledging that the country's history includes not only moments of bright idealism but also dark chapters of injustice. It is a call to rise above these challenges collectively and strive toward the realization of the ideals of freedom and democracy that inspired the founders in the Northeast and to continue the work of building a more perfect union.