Scribd
Upload
254 views4 pages

My Shadow: Poem Analysis and Answers

The document is a set of questions and answers about the poem "My Shadow" by Robert Louis Stevenson. It asks the reader to identify the subject of the poem, examples of personification used, and other literary devices. It also asks questions about the meaning of words in the poem and whether the language used suggests it is an older or modern work. The answers identify the shadow as the subject, provide examples of personification, explain meanings of words and phrases, and analyze the more archaic language used to suggest it is an older poem.

Uploaded by

Hacker Gaming
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
254 views4 pages

My Shadow: Poem Analysis and Answers

The document is a set of questions and answers about the poem "My Shadow" by Robert Louis Stevenson. It asks the reader to identify the subject of the poem, examples of personification used, and other literary devices. It also asks questions about the meaning of words in the poem and whether the language used suggests it is an older or modern work. The answers identify the shadow as the subject, provide examples of personification, explain meanings of words and phrases, and analyze the more archaic language used to suggest it is an older poem.

Uploaded by

Hacker Gaming
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Questions on 'My Shadow'
  • Answers to 'My Shadow' Questions

My Shadow By Robert Louis Stevenson

Answer in full sentences.


1. Who is ‘he’ in the poem?


2. What do we call the device we use to give human characteristics to
something that isn’t human? Can you find three examples of this in the
poem?


3. How many rhyming couplets are there in the poem?

4. How does the narrator describe how children grow?


5. Why is the way the shadow grows ‘not at all like proper children’?


6. What do you think the word ‘notion’ means on line 9?


7. Use the text to help explain what a coward is. How do you know?


My Shadow By Robert Louis Stevenson
8. Who does the narrator mean when using the word ‘nursie’?


9. Does the language in the poem indicate that this is an old or modern
poem? Give three examples to back up your answer.


10. In the final verse, which line gives the scientific reason as to why the
narrator can’t see their shadow when they go outside? Explain your
choice.


My Shadow By Robert Louis Stevenson Answers
1. Who is ‘he’ in the poem?
In the poem, ‘he’ is the child’s shadow.
2. What do we call the device we use to give human characteristics to something that isn’t human?
Can you find three example of this in the poem?
The device we use to give human characteristics to something that isn’t human is called
personification.
Answer may include: ‘He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;’
‘And I see him jump before me…’
‘The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow’
‘For he sometimes shoots up taller…’
‘And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all’
‘He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,’
‘…can only make a fool of me…’
‘He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;’
‘…like an arrant sleepy-head,’
‘Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.’
3. How many rhyming couplets are there in the poem?
There are eight rhyming couplets in the poem.
4. How does the narrator describe how children grow?
The narrator describes children growing as ‘always very slow’.
5. Why is the way the shadow grows ‘not at all like proper children’?
The way the shadow grows is not like proper children because proper children grow very slowly,
whereas the shadow sometimes ‘shoots up taller’ or ‘gets so little that there’s none of him at all’.
This is because when the sun is high in the sky, your shadow appears shorter and when the sun
is low in the sky, your shadow is longer.
6. What do you think the word ‘notion’ means on line 9?
Notion means ‘clue’ or ‘idea’.
My Shadow By Robert Louis Stevenson Answers
7. Use the text to help explain what a coward is. How do you know?
A coward is someone who lacks courage. We know this because the shadow stays close beside
the child, who says they’d think “shame” to stick to their nurse (childminder or guardian) in the
same way.
The narrator says, ‘He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;’. They think the
shadow is scared and hiding behind them.
8. Who does the narrator mean when using the word ‘nursie’?
When using the word ‘nursie’, the narrator is referring to someone who takes care of a child, like
a nanny or a babysitter.
9. Does the language in the poem indicate that this is an old or modern poem? Give three examples
to back up your answer.
Various answers which suggest that the language is old rather than modern, e.g. words such as
notion, arrant, ought, india-rubber ball and nursie suggest the poem is old as these words aren’t
commonly used today.
10. In the final verse, which line gives the scientific reason as to why the narrator can’t see their
shadow when they go outside? Explain your choice.
‘One morning, very early, before the sun was up,’
The narrator couldn’t see their shadow because it was still dark, leading them to believe that the
lazy shadow had stayed in bed.

Common questions

Powered by AI

Stevenson uses personification to give the shadow human characteristics. Examples include the shadow being described as very like the child 'from the heels up to the head,' 'jumping before' the child, and being akin to an 'arrant sleepy-head' that stays close out of cowardice .

The narrator cannot see his shadow 'very early, before the sun was up' because it was still dark. The absence of sunlight, which is required to cast shadows, leads the narrator to humorously conclude that the shadow, being lazy, has stayed in bed .

"My Shadow" reflects childhood innocence and imagination through the narrator's playful and curious observations of the shadow's behavior. The use of simplistic and direct language captures the child's perspective, while fanciful descriptions—like the shadow being a 'coward' or 'staying in bed'—highlight the imaginative interpretations children often have about the world around them .

'Nursie' refers to a caretaker for a child, such as a nanny or babysitter. This reflects historical societal roles where child care often involved a specific caregiver separate from the parents. Such roles were more pronounced in older societies, where having a 'nursie' was indicative of a family's social or economic status .

The poem explores themes of growth and change through its depiction of the shadow's behavior responding to light conditions. The shadow 'shoots up taller' or 'gets so little' in relation to the sun's position, metaphorically representing the unpredictable nature of growth and the constant state of transformation, contrasting with the slow, steady development of children .

The language in the poem is indicative of its antiquity through the use of words that are uncommon today. Words like 'notion,' 'arrant,' 'ought,' 'india-rubber ball,' and 'nursie' point to the poem's older style, suggesting it belongs to a time when such language was more contemporary .

The relationship is characterized by a mix of fascination and frustration. The narrator is intrigued by the shadow's mimicry yet perturbed by its unpredictability. Descriptions such as the shadow being 'like an arrant sleepy-head' suggest both amusement and criticism, reflecting the narrator's complex feelings towards this ever-present but capricious companion .

The word 'notion', meaning 'clue' or 'idea,' underscores the theme of understanding or the lack thereof between the narrator and the shadow. It suggests the shadow has no concept of how 'children ought to play,' illustrating a humorous confusion in its behavior, which is not aligned with the child's perception of play .

The poem employs a structure of eight rhyming couplets, which creates a rhythmic, musical quality that is engaging and appealing to readers, particularly children. This structure reinforces the playful tone of the poem, making the narrative lively and entertaining while subtly conveying its themes .

The poem suggests the narrator perceives the shadow's behavior as erratic compared to a 'proper child.' While children grow slowly, the shadow can grow tall suddenly and shrink to nothing, indicating an inconsistency influenced by the sun's position. This highlights a whimsical, unpredictable nature, contrasting with the steady growth of children .

You might also like