Sadness Comes — Important Questions

Personification

Step 1: Identify what is happening in the poem – sadness, an emotion, is behaving like a human being. Step 2: When a non-human thing (like an emotion) is given human qualities or actions, it is called personification. Step 3: Sadness knocks, follows, squeezes in between friends – all human actions. Step 4: Alliteration is repetition of sounds; onomatopoeia is words that sound like what they mean; hyperbole is exaggeration. None of these fit here. Answer: Personification.

Sadness does not behave politely or gently – it is persistent and intrusive

Step 1: 'Finesse' means being smooth, polite, and skilful. Step 2: 'Lack finesse' means sadness does NOT behave gently or respectfully. Step 3: This matches the experience many people have – sadness often arrives at inconvenient times and doesn't leave when asked. Step 4: Options B, C, and D say the opposite of what the poem means. Answer: Sadness does not behave politely or gently – it is persistent and intrusive.

The speaker is going to meet friends and does not want sadness to ruin the mood

Step 1: In the poem, the speaker says 'I'm off to meet with friends… your timing isn't right.' Step 2: This means the speaker is trying to keep sadness away because of a social gathering with friends. Step 3: The speaker is worried that sadness will spoil the happy atmosphere of the get-together. Step 4: There is no mention of fear or not recognising sadness – the speaker knows sadness well, as it 'has often done before.' Answer: The speaker is going to meet friends and does not want sadness to ruin the mood.

A ghost or frightening presence

Step 1: The footnote in the poem explains that 'spectre' means a ghost or something that seems scary but isn't really there. Step 2: The speaker compares sadness to a spectre at the feast – a ghost at a happy gathering. Step 3: This shows how the speaker feels sadness is an unwelcome, eerie presence at a joyful event. Step 4: A cheerful companion, loud noise, or special guest would all have positive meanings, which is the opposite of how sadness is described here. Answer: A ghost or frightening presence.