"Traveling through the Dark"

AP Lit Skill Test- Literal & Figurative Words & Their Meanings

“Traveling Through the Dark” by William E. Stafford

Read the poem here and answer the question below and questions on the following slides.

1. What are the denotations of the following words from the poem? a. Purred (verb)

b. Glare (noun)

c. Swerving (verb)

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AP Lit Skill Test- Literal & Figurative Words & Their Meanings

2. How does knowing the denotative meaning of these words (from #1) facilitate a literary understanding of the poem?

a. Purred (line 14)

b. Glare (noun)

c. Swerving (verb)

©2020, AP Lit & More

“ Traveling Through the Dark” by William E. Stafford

AP Lit Skill Test- Literal & Figurative Words & Their Meanings

3. What are the connotations, representations, and associations of the following words or phrases?

a. “make more dead” (4)

b. “a recent killing” (6)

c. “listen” (16)

d. “pushed” (18)

©2020, AP Lit & More

“ Traveling Through the Dark” by William E. Stafford

AP Lit Skill Test- Literal & Figurative Words & Their Meanings

4. How does considering the connotations, representations, and associations of these words (from #3) convey figurative meaning and facilitate an interpretation of the poem?

a. “make more dead” (4)

b. “a recent killing” (6)

c. “listen” (16)

d. “pushed” (18)

©2020, AP Lit & More

“ Traveling Through the Dark” by William E. Stafford

AP Lit Skill Test- Literal & Figurative Words & Their Meanings

5. Which events in this poem convey figurative meaning through representations and associations?

©2020, AP Lit & More

“ Traveling Through the Dark” by William E. Stafford

6. How do multiple literary and/or figurative meanings in a text create ambiguity?