The use of phrases like "fragile old man lost in the folds of his winter coat" and "conjuring up products from places that now exist only in their hearts" creates a sense of empathy and nostalgia.
How is it so?
The words an author uses affect the mood of the poem because words carry emotional weight and lived connections. These are the connotations of a word, the emotions and images that are attached to words beyond the word's literal definition.
The author's word choice in the excerpt from "The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica" contributes to a poignant and compassionate mood. The use of phrases like "fragile old man lost in the folds of his winter coat" and "conjuring up products from places that now exist only in their hearts" creates a sense of empathy and nostalgia.
The language evokes a feeling of connection to the characters and a recognition of their emotional needs, turning a seemingly mundane transaction into a poetic and heartfelt moment.
Complete question:
Read the excerpt from "The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica."
plain ham and cheese
that would cost less at the A&P, but it would not satisfy
the hunger of the fragile old man lost in the folds
of his winter coat, who brings her lists of items
that he reads to her like poetry, or the others,
whose needs she must divine, conjuring up products
from places that now exist only in their hearts—
closed ports she must trade with.
Which statement best describes how the author's word choice affects the mood of the poem?