Read the given extract.
Comment on the poet’s use of punctuation in these lines.
Answer as written by the student:
The poet’s use of punctuation in these lines is very interesting and effective.
- The poet uses exclamation marks to show the mother’s anger and frustration at Amanda.
- The poet uses commas to separate the items in a list, to create a slight pause, and to avoid using coordinating conjunctions.
- The poet uses parentheses to show Amanda’s inner thoughts and feelings.
- The poet uses a semicolon to connect two independent clauses that are related in meaning.
Step-by-step explanation of the answer:
- The poet uses exclamation marks to show the mother’s anger and frustration at Amanda. The exclamation marks also create a contrast with the calm and sarcastic tone of Amanda’s voice in parentheses.🗣️
- The poet uses commas to separate the items in a list, to create a slight pause, and to avoid using coordinating conjunctions. The commas also help to create a rhythm and a flow in the poem.🎵
- The poet uses parentheses to show Amanda’s inner thoughts and feelings. The parentheses also create a contrast with the mother’s direct speech and commands. The parentheses also suggest that Amanda is ignoring her mother and escaping into her own fantasy world.🌎
- The poet uses a semicolon to connect two independent clauses that are related in meaning. The semicolon also creates a balance and a symmetry between the two clauses.🔗