Passage Video
On page 2 of the Passage, read lines 30-31 of the
poem. Which meaning is suggested by the
author's use of language in these lines?

Upon my way to sleep before it fell,
And I could tell
What form my dreaming was about to take
Magnified apples appear and disappear,
Stem end and blossom end,
And every fleck of russet showing clear.
My instep arch not only keeps the ache,
It keeps the pressure of a ladder-round.
I feel the ladder sway as tho boughs bend.
And I keep hearing from the cellar bin
The rumbling sound
Of load on load of apples coming in,
For I have had too much
of apple-picking: I am overtired
of the great harvest I myself desired.
There were ten thousand thousand fruit to touch.
Cherish in hand, lift down, and not let fall
For all
That struck the earth,
No matter if not bruised or spiked with stubble,
Went surely to the cider-apple heap
As of no worth

(1)The apples symbolize all of the speaker's life
experiences, suggesting that each one requires
attention and care.

(2)The apples represent all of the speaker's friends
and family, suggesting that he did his best to
support them.

(3)The apples suggest the speaker believes he is
good at what he does, despite the fact that many
do not appreciate him.
35

(4)The apples signify the number of hours the speaker
has contributed to the harvest, as he realizes he
still has hours of work ahead.