陶洁版-美国文学选读-第三版-课后习题答案知识点

美国文学选读 第三版 课后习题答案 陶洁(部分)

Unit 1 Benjamin Franklin The Autobiography
1.Why did Franklin write his Autobiography?
Franklin says that because his son may wish to know about his life, he is taking his one week vacation in the English countryside to record his past. He also says that he has enjoyed his life and would like to repeat it.
参考：
The Autobiography is a book which contains the wisdom and success in life struggle, and unites the true meaning of goodness and morality. It is regarded as a book that changes many people's fates in terms of American Dream. As we all know, Benjamin Franklin is labeled as a self-made man and the first great man of letters. The Autoniography also makes several "firsts": The first popular self-help book ever published; The first major secular American Autobiography; The first real account of the American Dream action. He made so many achievements, but the reason we should also be aware of.
As far as I am concerned, the celebrities write autobiography to make people understand themselves and inspire future generations. Besides, he may want to be immortal in the history. However, in The Autobiography, Franklin wants to lecture his son as well as the Americans who holds a dream to fight against difficulties in the way to success.
Specifically, it can be divided into several parts. In 1771, Franklin was staying at Chilbolton, in the house of Bishop Jonanthan Shipley near Twyford in Hampshire. Shipley was a pro-American bishop among the British Bishops. He and his large family loved Franklin and regarded him as a modern day Socrates. They found Franklin's anecdotes of his childhood remarkable and insisted that he should tell the world the story of his life. With their encouragement, Franklin wrote the first part of his Autobiography. In Part One, Franklin addressed his son William, who was royal Governor of New Jersey, as the audience. The outbreak of the Revolution in 1776 made any plan for the memoirs impossible. In 1784 when he did have some time to resume the narrative, Franklin had left the manuscript of the first part in the United States and could not remember where he had stopped last time. More importantly, Franklin had been estranged from his son who had taken the side of British government. The Autobiography now took a more public tone. Franklin was more aware of his public image: some of his advisers and friends urged him to tell how he rose to world renown.
What's more, it establishes in literary form the first example of the fulfilment of the American Dream. Franklin demonstrates the possibilities of life in the New World through his own rise from the lower middle class as a youth to one of the most admired men in the world as an adult. It presents Americans today with a great hero from the past who helped establish the tradition of the American Dream. He established The Autobiography as a work that is meant to not only tell about a person's own life but also to educate the reader in ways to better live life. 

2.What made Franklin decide to leave the brother to whom he had been apprenticed?
His brother was passionate, and had often beaten him. The aversion to arbitrary power that has stuck to him through his whole life .After a brush with the law, Franklin left his brother.

3.How did he arrive in Philadephia?
First he set out in a boat for Amboy, the boat dropped him off about 50 miles from Burlington, the next day he reached Burlington on foot, in Burlington he found a boat which was going towards Philadelphia, he arrived there about eight or nine o’clock, on the Sunday morning and landed at the Market Street wharf.

4.What features do you find in the style of the above selection?
It is the pattern of Puritan simplicity, directness, and concision(言简意赅). The narrative is lucid(易懂的), the structure is simple, the imagery is homely(朴素的).

Unit 2 Edgar Allen Poe The Cast of Amontillado
1.Who is the narrator? What wrong does he want to redress?
Montresor.
Fortunato, one of wine experts insulted him, so he wanted to murder him.

2.What is the pretext he uses to lure Fortunato to his wine cellar?
He baits Fortunato by telling him he has obtained what he believes to be a cask of Amontillado a rare and valuable sherry wine. 
Fortunato is anxious to determine whether or not it is truly Amontillado, so he goes to the vault with Montresor.

3.What happens to Fortunato in the end?
He was walled up alive behind bricks in a wine cellar.

4.Describe briefly how Poe characterizes Montresor and Fortunato as contrasts?
Poe uses color imagery to characterize them. Montresor face is covered in a black silk mask, In contrast, Fortunato dresses the motley-colored costume of the court fool, who gets literally and tragically fooled by Montresor's masked motives. The color schemes here represent the irony of Fortunato's death sentence.
Through the acts, words, and thoughts of  Fortunato,we know He is greedy, he was lured into the dark and somber vaults just because a cask of Amontillado. This is also due to his bad habit of bibulosity(酗酒). He lost himself on hearing the wine. At the same time, he was cheated by his enemy, which reflected his ignorance. When he heard the pretended compliment from Montresor, he became very boastful and arrogant.He was easily confused by the superficial phenomena and failed to watch out for others. He couldn’t tolerate that others were stronger than him. 
For example, Montresor always stimulated him with Luchresi who was good at connoisseur（鉴赏） in wine. Under the impulse of vanity, he fell into Montresor’s terrible trap. In fact, he was careless and foolish and didn’t find that the danger was approaching him. He looked down upon Montresor and others.He didn’t realize his foolishness until the death was coming. 
Talking from the appearance, Monstresor was a well-educated and “kind” businessman. He enjoyed the honor and respect in the city. But in fact, he was an evil and awful person. His inner feelings were so cruel that they even made people tremble. 
Under his rich appearance was the dirty soul and despicable character. We couldn’t see any glorious virtues in his mind. Instead, his heart was cold and dark. It was the revenge that threw Montresor into the deep evil valley.

Unit 3 Ralph Waldo Emerson Self-Reliance
1.What is author’s attitude towards charity? Why does he hold such an attitude?
The worst of charity is that the lives you are asked to preserve are not worth preserving.Not all charity mean goodness.One must explore if it be goodness.If malice and vanity wear the coat of philanthropy, that shall not pass.One’s goodness must have some edge to do, else it is none.
参考：
 In Self-Reliance, Emerson fundamentally showed the idea of confidence and independence. Besides these ideas, he illustrated the idea of “Showing no sympathy to the Poor”. This point of view agrees with the confidence and independence. Thus, his attitude towards charity is a little a bit of negative. 
Emerson indirectly showed the reason why the man is poor and why no sympathy should be showed to the poor. In the essay, he does not show any sympathy to those who has no relationship with him. He said: “Expect me not to show causes why I seek or why I exclude company. Then again, do not tell me, as a good man did today, of my obligation to put all poor men in good situations. Are they my poor? I tell your, your foolish philanthropist, that I grudge the dollar, the dime, the cent. I give to such men as do not belong to me and whom I do not belong.” Obviously, he displayed another way of helping those people who are poor, not to give them money directly. Instead, he stressed much importance of self-support. If those people are given money directly, they would become more and more poor. The only way to get out of this difficulty is to rely on themselves. At most time, the poor are not independent, optimistic and adventurous. They have no innovative abilities, because they never think that they should challenge life and make progress. Therefore, in many aspects, the poor are lagged behind of the society. These people should not be given help and support, as they have no desire to change the situation and just suffer what they are used to. They do not want to change and improve, and their poor mind will ruin everything. 
However, there is another kind of people who may also in difficult situations, and we should offer our help. This kind of people is the poor in pocket, but they are full of ideas in mind. They are independent, optimistic and adventurous. What they really lack is some materials. They hold the firm belief that their situation will be improved through a period of time. They also put their ideas into practice ,and eventually, they will succeed. 
The poor condition is not terrible, but the poor mind is a very serious problem. The man should never help the poor with money, but give them a tool to produce wealth by themselves, or teach them to be independent and optimistic. As a reader, I benefit a lot from this idea, and also learn the importance of self-reliance.
2.According to the author, what do most people believe to be virtue? And what is real virtue?
Virtues are, in the popular estimate rather the exception than the rule.
The real virtues are, according to the author, what I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think.
3.Why does the author dislike “consistency”?Do you agree with him?Do you think that people should give up consistency?
First, consistency scares us from self-trust. It makes us lack confidence. Second, a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a soul has simply nothing to do. It kills the creativity of us.
Possible answer 1: Don’t agree. It depends. Sometimes great achievements can be made as long as you can maintain consistent.
Possible answer 2: To some extend, I agree with him. We must be wise enough to judge what is worth insisting. But it doesn’t mean that people should give up consistency. What you must do is all that concerns you, not what the people think.
4.What is agreement of one’s actions?Why is it important for people?
There will be an agreement in whatever variety of actions, so they be each honest and natural in there hour. For of one will, the actions will be harmonious, however I like the theme.
Your genuine action will explain itself and will explain your other genuine actions. Your conformaty explains nothing. Be it how it will, do right now. Always scorns appearances and you always may.

Unit 4 Nathaniel Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter
1.Why is the prison the setting of Chapter 1 ? 
No matter how optimistic the founders of new colonies may be, they are quick to establish a prison and a cemetery in their “Utopia,” for they know that misbehavior, evil, and death are unavoidable. 
This belief fits into the larger Puritan doctrine, which puts heavy emphasis on the idea of original sin—the notion that all people are born sinners because of the initial transgressions of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. he is therefore using the prison building to represent the crime and the punishment which are aspect of civilized life
What is the implication of the description of the roses?
The rosebush symbolizes the ability of nature to endure and outlast man's activities. 
The narrator suggests that roses offer a reminder of Nature's kindness to the condemned; for his tale, he says, it will provide either a “sweet moral blossom” or else some relief in the face of unrelenting sorrow and gloom.

2.Describe the appearance of Hester Prynne and the attitude of the people towards her.
The second paragraph on page 30.
The crowd in front of the jail is a mixture of men and women, all maintaining severe looks of disapproval. 
Several of the women begin to discuss Hester Prynne, and they soon vow that Hester would not have received such a light sentence for her crime if they had been the judges. 
One woman, the ugliest of the group, goes so far as to advocate death for Hester. 

3.What has happened to Hester? 
As a young woman, Hester married an elderly scholar, Chillingworth, who sent her ahead to America to live. 
While waiting for him, she had an affair with a Puritan minister named Dimmesdale, after which she gave birth to Pearl. 
The scarlet letter is her punishment for her sin and her secrecy. 
Why does she make the embroidery of the letter A so elaborate?
It seems to declare that she is proud, rather than ashamed, of her sin. 
In reality, however, Hester simply accepts the “sin” and its symbol as part of herself, just as she accepts her child. 
And although she can hardly believe her present “realities,” she takes them as they are rather than resisting them or trying to atone for them.
How does this tell us about her character?
Throughout The Scarlet Letter Hester is portrayed as an intelligent, capable. It is the extraordinary circumstances shaping her that make her such an important figure.

Unit 7 19th Century American Poets 
1. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
(1) I Shot an Arrow… 
1. Why did the speaker lose sight of his arrow and song?  
The arrow flies too swiftly and too far away to be seen by the speaker; whereas the song is naturally invisible. 

2. In what circumstances did he find them again? 
He finds them unexpectedly years later from the trunk of a tree and the heart of a friend. 

3. What do arrow and song stand for in this poem?  
The images of arrow and song here may stand for friendship. 

(2) A Psalm of Life  
1. What kind of person is the speaker of this poem?  
The speaker is a man of action, always optimistic and cheerful, trying to achieve as much as possible in the short span of life. 

2. According to the poem, how should our lives be led to overcome the fact that each day brings us nearer to death?
We should work harder and live happier.  

3. Interpret the metaphor of "Footprints on the sand of time" (line 28). 
The metaphor refers to human deeds in real life. 

2. Walt Whitman 
(1)One's Self I Sing  
1. What is the significance of singing about one's self?
It is an exaltation of the individual spirit, which is typical of American people.
2. What is the difference between physiology and physiognomy? 
Physiology is a science that deals with the functions and life process of human beings, whereas physiognomy refers to an art of judging character from contours of face itself or the appearance of a person. 
3. What does Whitman mean by the term of "the Modern Man"? 
He means that a man should be free from any prejudice and pride, totally different from the traditional one, that is full of bias. 
(2) O Captain! My Captain! 
1. Why is the word "Captain" capitalized throughout the poem? 
In this poem the word “Captain” specially refers to Abraham Lincoln, president of the United States.
2. What overall metaphor does the poet employ in this poem?
Life is a journey. 
3. Why do people on the shores exult and bells ring, while the speaker remains so sad? 
They welcome the ship returning from its hard trip, whereas the speaker is sad because the captain fails to receive his own honor. 

3.Emily Dickinson 
(1) To Make a Prairie … 
1. What things are needed to "make" a prairie? In what sense can one really do it? 
Some grass and insects and small animals. People can make a prairie with their imagination.
2. How can "revery alone" create a prairie? 
The prairie stays in one's mind. 

(2) Success Is Counted Sweetest 
1. Why is success "counted sweetest by those who ne'er succeed"? 
Those who have tasted the bitterness of failure would have a keener desire for success.
2. Who are "the purple host"? 
The so-called successful people in the world. 
3. Who is "he" in the last stanza?
Anyone who is pursuing his success.  

(3) I'm Nobody!  
1. Who are the "pair of us" and "they" in this poem?  
The "pair of us" refers to the speaker in the poem and the reader, and "they" refers to the public, especially those in power.
2. What does "an admiring bog" really mean?" (line 28). 
It Implies the vain and empty common people, who are always admiring and pursuing the celebrities.
3. What is the theme of this poem? 
The real admirable life is a secluded and common one.  
4. Do you want to be "nobody" or "somebody"? Explain your reasons. 

Different persons would have different answers to this question. Personally, I prefer to be nobody.

Unit 12 Sherwood Anderson The Triumph of the Egg
1.Why did the narrator’s father treasure up the dead deformed chickens?
The reason that narrator’s father treasure up the dead deformed chicken is that his father really took too much energy and time in those chicken, and he regarded these chicken as his dream, future and hope. So when the time he failed in raising a chicken farm, he still wanted to take them by his side. 
2.What is narrator's outlook on life?
In this story, the narrator was deeply influenced by his parents where there was a detail in the story “A troop of little girls had gone hopping about singing. I tired that down along the frozen road I want hopping solemnly on one leg” Happily Hope to the Barber shop “I sang shrilly. Then I stopped and looked doubtfully about. I was afraid of being seen in one who, like myself, had been raised on a chicken farm where death was a daily visitor.” The narrator emphasized that he has been raised on a chicken farm where death was daily visitor; his purpose is to tell us his gloomy negative personality. 
3. What does the egg come to symbolize by the end of the narrative? 
The Triumph of the Egg mainly tells us a story about father's failure of starting a business. The egg in the story can be regarded as the American Dream. By the end of the story, father laid the egg gently on the table instead of destroying it. He decided to close the restaurant for the night. We can easily tell that father decides to give up pursuing the American Dream. 
After failing to play tricks before the son of the rich man, he was in anger. However, he then just put down the eggs, wailed like a child and went to sleep after calming down. Father did not want to give up, but he had to. This surrender is not so pathetic to the father much as to the American society. The disillusion of father's dream is due to the process of industrialization. During the process, people are valued by the materials he has, which make people abandon some good qualities they had before. People like father who are honest and sincere are fooled by the society, which is pathetic to America.
What's more, we can understand the sadness when coming back to the precious parts. At the beginning, father was energetic and passionate to breed chickens. He wanted to be rich through his hard work. The American Dream has become a spiritual idealism rooted in every person's heart. The continuous dying of the chicken stands for the failure. The deformed chickens in the farm indicates that father's dream has been twisted. After going through a lot of sufferings, he became ill-mentaled. A group of living chickens in father's car symbolizes that he desires to pursue his dream again. Then, father started his own restaurant. Playing tricks before the guests shows that he wants to be recognized and praised. However, he failed another time. His performance was laughed at by the guest. His desire to perform before the guests to win the concentration and dignity was disillusioned completely. In this way, father chose to give up in the end.
Unit 14 F•Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby
1.Do you think Gatsby deserves to be called “the great”? Why? 
（1）I think it is too complicated to simply say Gatsby deserves to be ―great‖ or not.For one thing, Gatsby was ambitious, hardworking, generous and passionate. He was so extremely loyal to his love and Daisy that he could do anything to get Daisy back: he did shady business to earn money and social position; he threw luxurious parties just to draw Daisy’s attention; he could take the blame for a death that he did not cause.
（2）In this respect, he is much ―greater‖ than his contemporaries. For another thing, Gatsby never realized that Daisy wasn’t the girl he loved anymore. Gatsby was so innocent that he staked everything on his dreams, not realizing that his dreams are unworthy of him. He wasn’t sober enough to be great. 
2.Does “the green light” Gatsby believed in exist in reality?Why or why not ?  
（1）I think ―the green light‖ does not exist in reality. Because the green light which situated at the end of Daisy’s East Egg dock and barely visible from West Egg lawn represents Gatsby’s unattainable dream. Although the color itself can be seen as hope and bright future, Gatsby’s quest for Daisy back is doomed to be impossible. Daisy lived in ―a material world without being real, where poor ghosts, breathing dream like air‖.
（2）After five years when Gatsby met Daisy again, the miracle Daisy had lost her original glory. Therefore, there is no delaying that Gatsby’s dream would not come true. In the novel, the green light not only represents that innocent Gatsby looked forward to the future, but also means his longing for the history –his happy past with Daisy. The distinction between ideal and reality was huge. As if American dream between golden past and golden future always suffered from the realistic betrayal and crush. 
3.What does Gatsby’s Schedule reveal about him and how does it relate to the American Dream?  
（1）The schedule is a reflection of Gatsby’s determination and ambition. It reveals that he is hard on himself in pursuit of his goal—to be an upper-class man.
（2）On one hand, we can know that he is persistent in pursuing his American Dream-- to attain wealth and happiness through his struggle. On the other hand, he is too idealistic and naive.
（3）He tries his best to make money and learns everything required to be an upper-class man so that he can get access to his beloved girl.Money is important，but there are other barriers difficult to penetrate. The girl he loves is as vulgar and  superficial as others in her circle, she is unable to meets Gatsby’s romantic fantasy. So his dream is destined to shatter, which indicates the disillusion of American Dream. 
4.When you read the line “He (the man with owl-eyed glasses) took off his glasses and wiped them again, outside and in ,” what images does it create in your mind, given the novel’s numerous references to the strikingly strange scene of the spectacled eyes?  
（1）From this line , superficially, owl-eyes is a person with thick and blurry glasses who can not see clearly all the things in the world. However, we know he is actually an owl-wise observer and sees more clearly than anyone else in the novel. Owl-Eyes, except Nick, is the only friend to appear at the rain-soaked burial of Gatsby, when others are unwilling to come. He feels sympathy for Gatsby’s tragedy.
（2）After reading this line, I cannot help thinking of the Dr.Eckleburg billboard with its huge yellow spectacles in this novel. In many rainy days, Dr. Eckleburg’s eyes are also dimmed and seem blind. But in fact this is a pair of "all-seeing" eyes. The Owl-Eyed Man is similar to Dr. Eckleburg, sadly looking at the people’s life and idealism of this time. Both of them symbolize an uninvolved spectator god. They watch all the activities of the humans. Owl-eyes is the avatar of the sightless Dr. Eckleburg.

Unit 16 Ernest Hemingway A Clean Well-Lighted Place
1. How do you interpret the irony of the title after reading the story?  
（1）The title ―A Clean Well-Lighted Place‖ refers to the café in the text. The café was very clean and well- lighted. From the literary meaning, we may feel this place was very warm and comfortable, was a place where people need warmth wanted to go.  So the old man, who was rich but deaf and lonely came here to find warmth and avoided nada. It was the only place he could go and could find some comfort.（2）However, the younger waiter was very selfish. As his wife was waiting him on the bed, he wanted to go home early. Therefore, he refused to offer the old man another cup of wine by the excuse that the business was finished. In fact, there was still an hour from closing time. The younger thought an hour was more important to him than to the old man. The old man needed to leave the only place where he could get far away from nada/ nothing. This café should be warm but the younger waiter forced the lonely and deaf to leave without any sympathy. This is the irony of the title. 2. Do you think youth and confidence can help one withstand the metaphorical dark？Why or why not?  （1）I don’t think so.In our opinion, the metaphorical dark means nada，nothing in one’s inner heart. In the article, the younger waiter had both youth and confidence; however, he never made full use of them. As we can see, he didn’t understand the old man’s suicide and excessive drinking, and failed to see his tomorrow through the old man’s present situation.
（2）What’s more, he had no idea that youth is not permanent, which cannot guarantee love and work. From above, there is no denying that he didn’t realize his nada. Therefore, his youth and confidence never contributed to  withstanding his metaphorical dark.
（3）I think that, nowadays, youth and confidence do can help to withstand the metaphorical dark, for one can bravely face the reality and overcome the nada with youth and confidence. But they only serve as two main factors. In fact, we need some other factors such as courage, dignity and so on if we want to withstand the metaphorical dark successfully.  
3.The older waiter said to the younger waiter:“We are of two different kinds.” In what way do you think they are different?  
（1）I think they are different from each other in the following four aspects：In the beginning, they are in different ages.The older waiter was in his middle age; while the other was much younger.
（2）Then, they have different attitudes towards the old man. From the article, we know the older waiter had suffered a lot. He had maintained a clean and well-lighted place in his heart, and he could understand the old man and show sympathy to him. However, the young man was very selfish. He wanted to go home early so that he finished the business one hour earlier and forced the old man to leave. He showed hatred rather than sympathy to the old man.
（3）Next, they have different attitudes towards life. The older waiter had a deep sense of life. He was brave and wanted to fight again nada. Besides, he cared about others. The younger one was totally different; he has a shadow understanding of life. He satisfied with his present love and work, he only care about himself and was reluctant to take others into consideration. He even never thought of his future.（4）Finally, they have different attitudes towards nada. The older waiter had realized that it is impossible to avoid nada in one’s whole life. The only thing he can do is to keep a kind of clearness in his own mind. So he was willing to work late for the lonely old man and was pleased to help those who are suffering nada. But out of youth and confidence, he failed to overcome nada. On the contrary, the younger waiter had the two most important  factors for withstanding nada; however, he didn’t realize the nada in his heart at all. Then his youth and confidence became useless.  

Unit 17 20th -Century American Poets
Robert Frost 
(1)Fire and Ice  
1. What are the symbolic meanings of fire in this poem? 
Fire symbolizes natural disaster, human passion, as well as war.  
2. Why does the speaker say that ice is also great for destruction? Explain what ice stands for here.  
Ice, oppose to fire, is also a dreadful natural disaster in this world, and ice is always related to indifference, coldness, hatred, and the other negative sentiments of human beings. 
3. What is your opinion about fire and ice? Which one is more destructive?  
Both fire and ice can destroy this beautiful world if they are beyond control of human beings. Therefore we should be open-minded and reduce our prejudice and pride so as to keep this world in peace. 
(2)Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening 
1. In your opinion, what was the reason that made the speaker stop by the woods on a snowy evening? 
The poet was deeply attracted by the natural beauty of the scene at that very moment. 
2. Why did the horse give the harness bell a shake?  
The horse grew impatient by stopping in the middle of the dark, cold woods at midnight. It was eager to go home. 
3. Why couldn't the speaker stay longer by the woods to appreciate its mysterious beauty?  
He realized that it was late at night and he would have to hurry home to get some food and sleep, because the next morning he would have a lot of work to do. 
4. What is the effect of repetition in the last two lines?  
The refrain-like repetition in the last two lines reminds the reader a simple fact of life: whatever happens, one must go forward in the journey of his or her life. 
(3) The Road Not Taken   
1. What is the speaker's initial response to the divergence of the two roads?  
The speaker is at a loss which road he should choose, and he feels sorry that he cannot explore both roads at the same time.
2. Describe the similarities and differences of these two roads. Which one does the speaker take?  
Two roads are similar except one of them is more “grassy,” which implies that it is less traveled by people. The speaker prefers the less traveled one, because he likes adventure.  
3. What might the two roads stand for in the speaker's mind?     
One road stands for the traditional one and the other is unconventional one and full of challenges and difficulties. To follow other people's footsteps or to open a new road for himself is really not an easy decision for us to make in our lives.

Langston Hughes
(1)Dreams 
1. Why must we stick to our dreams? 
If God is not the first move in our life, surely our dreams are the same.  
 2.What images does the poet employ to describe the life once we lose our dreams? 
Without dreams our life will be a broken bird and a barren field. I think without dream our life will be a grand ship drifting on the vast ocean, never knowing its destination.  
(2)Me And The Mule 
1. Why does the speaker identify himself with the mule? 
They share a lot in their life: hard-working and full of strength, submissiveness and kindness and honesty.  
2. What figure of speech does the poet employ in describing the mule? 
Personification.
(3)Border Line
1.Paraphrase this short poem, using your own words.
I often contemplated the basic difference about life and death, but found out that there are no real differences between the opposite concepts. The difference only lies in degrees. I often thought about this world and the world after death, yet realized that they are actually the same.
2.What is the theme of this poem?
The poem is a protest against the racial discrimination and oppression in American society. 
3. Do you think the tone of the poem optimistic or pessimistic?
It is on the whole pessimistic, because the speaker finds the life of an American Negro is no better than a living death.