Question

According to the narrator's descriptions, how does "a pace where the sidewalk ends" and "this place" differ?

Answer 1

A place where the sidewalk ends suggests a peaceful setting, whereas this place is burdened with industrial smoke and crowding. Stanza breaks and punctuation in the text augment the contrast between the serene and the industrial settings.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the narrator's descriptions, "a place where the sidewalk ends" seems to represent a more natural and peaceful setting, detached from the hectic pace of city life. This place is characterized by its serenity and lack of human-made disturbances. In contrast, "this place" that the speaker is currently in is dominated by evidence of human industry. The descriptions are of an environment overshadowed by smoke and crowdedness, depicting an atmosphere that is both literally and figuratively murky.

The described environments in the provided text fragments highlight a distinct difference: one is fatigued and grim, laden with the toils of human existence and industry, while the other suggests an unspoiled, tranquil path, akin to a journey through a more serene and natural landscape. The use of stanza breaks and punctuation in the provided examples enhances these contrasts, guiding the reader through the shifts in location and voice, and shaping the rhythm and flow the poet is trying to achieve.

Answer 2

According to the narrator's descriptions the "place where the sidewalk ends” is unknown and inviting, while “this place” is dirty and unwelcoming.

Step-by-step explanation:

Where the Sidewalk Ends is a poem by Shel Silverstein depicting two places, where the narrator wants to leave “this place” where the smoke blows black and the dark street winds and bends, and go to a place where the sidewalk ends and before the street begins, and there the grass grows soft and white.

The difference between the two places is highlighted by the narrator, one as unknown and looks inviting and desirable, while the other looks dirty and unwelcoming.