Which words or phrases are used in ways that have meanings different from their common definitions?
Does the poet use similes or metaphors to compare unlike people, things, or ideas?
Does the poet give human traits to nonhuman objects or animals?
The poet included the simile in the last stanza (lines 10–12) to suggest Mom is —
How is figurative language different from literal language?
How did the critical thinking traits of linking and examining help you understand how the poet uses figurative language to create images?
Read these lines (lines 7–8) from stanza 3: "My mashed potato mountain is just a cauliflower pile. Did Mom think I would ignore the taste for a while?" What image of the food is created by the metaphor?
Which line from the poem includes an example of personification?