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Who does 'you' refer to in the given passage?

1) The speaker
2) The father
3) The entreated individuals
4) The young days

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

The 'you' in the passages refers to various subjects depending on the context; in one case, it is the entreated individuals, possibly the speaker's future audience, while in another, it could be reflecting on the speaker's younger self and its influence on adulthood.

Step-by-step explanation:

Within the context of the provided passages, 'you' may refer to different subjects in different contexts. However, in the passage that repeats 'you' – 'I am with you, you men and women of a generation...' – 'you' most likely refers to the entreated individuals (3), meaning the people, either contemporaneous with the speaker or from future generations, that the speaker imagines himself addressing.

It imagines a connection across time, recognizing the human experience as continuous and universal. The speaker is addressing an audience that spans beyond the immediate setting of the poem, which implies a broader sense of human connectedness.

In discussing the broader context of the poem that raises questions about lifespan development and the phrase 'the child is the father of the man,' Wordsworth suggests how childhood shapes adulthood. This aligns with the psychological concept that early experiences influence one's development into later life. In these parts, 'you' could be interpreted as the speaker's younger self.

Lastly, where the text mentions the old man beseeching, 'Let not the child's voice be heard, nor the mother's entreaties,' the 'you' shifts in meaning again, perhaps referring to a third-party observing family dynamic, which could be the speaker (1) or an external observer.

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