Question

Read the second stanza from the poem "Sympathy."

I know why the caged bird beats his wing

Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;

For he must fly back to his perch and cling

When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;

And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars

And they pulse again with a keener sting—

I know why he beats his wing!

Part A

In the second stanza of the poem "Sympathy," what can be inferred about the caged bird beating its wings?

A. The bird would rather fly free.
B. The bird wants to create a scar.
C. A bee has stung the bird.
D. The cage is calling the bird to return.

Part B

Which line from the second stanza in the poem best supports the answer in Part A?

A. "And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars"
B. "When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;"
C. "And they pulse again with a keener sting—"
D. "For he must fly back to his perch and cling"

Answer 1

The caged bird beats its wings because it would rather fly free and be on a swing.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer

Part A:

The correct answer is A. The bird would rather fly free. In the second stanza of the poem, it can be inferred that the caged bird beats its wings because it wants to be free and fly on the bough a-swing. The bird's beating wings represent its desire for freedom and escape from the cruel bars of the cage.

Part B:

The line from the second stanza that best supports the answer in Part A is: 'When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;'. This line emphasizes the bird's strong desire to be on the bough, swinging freely, instead of being confined in the cage.