Question 143·Medium·Command of Evidence
“'Hope' is the Thing with Feathers” is an 1861 poem by Emily Dickinson. In the poem, Dickinson claims that hope remains unwavering even during hardship, writing, ______
Which quotation from “'Hope' is the Thing with Feathers” most effectively illustrates the claim?
For “best evidence” literary questions, first restate the claim in your own words and pull out its key ideas (here, hope is constant + even when things are hard). Then quickly paraphrase each answer choice and ask which one shows all key ideas most directly, not just one of them. Use process of elimination: cross out options that are about a different quality (like generosity or beauty) or that lack a clear signal of the situation described in the claim (such as hardship), and pick the line that most clearly and specifically matches the claim’s wording.
Hints
Clarify the key words in the claim
Focus on the words “unwavering” and “hardship.” Ask yourself: which quote shows hope continuing (not stopping) specifically when things are difficult or extreme?
Look for signs of difficult conditions
Scan the answer choices for any mention of storms, extreme situations, or harsh places. Those phrases are more likely to connect to the idea of hardship.
Check that both parts of the claim are present
After you find options that mention difficulty, ask: does this quote also show that hope keeps going or is still there in those situations, not just that the situation is hard?
Step-by-step Explanation
Pinpoint what the claim is saying
The prompt paraphrases Dickinson’s claim as “hope remains unwavering even during hardship.”
Break that into two key ideas:
- Unwavering: hope continues, does not stop or give up.
- Even during hardship: this persistence happens in difficult, harsh, or extreme conditions.
The correct quotation should clearly show both that hope keeps going and that this happens when things are hard.
Restate each option in simple terms
Put each quote into your own words to see what it emphasizes:
-
A) “It sings the tune without the words — / And never stops — at all —”
→ Hope is like a bird that sings constantly and never stops. -
B) “And sore must be the storm — / That could abash the little Bird —”
→ It would take a very severe storm to shake or embarrass this little bird (hope). -
C) “Yet — never — in Extremity, / It asked a crumb — of me.”
→ Even in times of extreme need, hope never asks anything in return. -
D) “I’ve heard it in the chillest land — / And on the strangest Sea —”
→ Hope’s song can be heard even in the coldest lands and on the strangest seas—harsh, difficult places.
Match each option to the idea of hardship
Now focus on hardship and see which lines clearly show difficult conditions:
- A) Talks about never stopping, but does not mention any hardship or tough conditions.
- B) Mentions a storm, which suggests difficulty, but focuses more on how strong a storm would have to be to shake hope.
- C) Uses the word “Extremity” (a very hard or extreme situation), but it focuses on hope not asking for anything, not on its persistence.
- D) Describes “the chillest land” and “the strangest Sea”, which clearly suggest harsh, challenging environments and says hope is heard there.
Only one option very directly shows hope being present in clearly harsh conditions.
Choose the line that best fits both parts of the claim
The best answer must show that hope keeps going in hard conditions:
- A) Shows hope is constant, but not that it persists during hardship.
- B) Suggests it’s hard to shake hope, but does not show hope actually continuing in hardship.
- C) Focuses on hope’s selflessness, not on its persistence.
- D) Shows hope being heard even in the coldest, strangest places, directly illustrating hope’s presence and persistence in hardship.
Therefore, the correct answer is:
“I’ve heard it in the chillest land — / And on the strangest Sea —”.