Question

In Auden's poem, the words “thunder rumbling in the sky” are a reference to  (1 point)
the Holocaust.
impending war.
a storm.
World War I.

I'm not sure if this question means literally or symbolically. Thunder obviously implies a storm, but the next line is "It was Hitler over Europe, saying: 'They must die'." The whole poem is about the Holocaust, but is that what the thunder was referring to? Please help.

Answer 1

@bookworm00981 do you think you could help me?

Answer 2

I'll try :D

Answer 3

A or D.

Answer 4

What do you think?

Answer 5

I thought A or C

Answer 6

Maybe even B because thunder usually means that a storm is coming right?

Answer 7

i've seen 'storm' used as a metaphor for WWI
in any case, do you have a link to the poem?

Answer 8

That's what I was thinking too, but it never talks about the world war, only Hitler and stuff. I'll find a link.

Answer 9

The online book they have us read from only lets people logged in to the school read it. I cant find a typed up version. I could try typing it but its kinda long.

Answer 10

tell me the name of the poem
maybe i can find it

Answer 11

"from Ten Songs" by W. H. Auden

Answer 12

Pretty sure my answers are correct

Answer 13

Which one?

Answer 14

ok so i didn't find it but going by your post i think the answer is A
makes more sense

Answer 15

I found it!

Answer 16

Say this city has ten million souls,
Some are living in mansions, some are living in
holes:
Yet there's no place for us, my dear, yet there's no
place for us.

Once we had a country and we thought it fair,
Look in the atlas and you'll find it there:
We cannot go there now, my dear, we cannot go
there now.

In the village churchyard there grows an old yew,
Every spring it blossoms anew;
Old passports can't do that, my dear, old passports
can't do that.

The consul banged the table and said:
'If you've got no passport, you're officially dead';
But we are still alive, my dear, but we are still alive.

Went to a committee; they offered me a chair;
Asked me politely to return next year:
But where shall we go today, my dear, but where
shall we go today?

Came to a public meeting; the speaker got up and
said:
'If we let them in, they will steal our daily bread';
He was talking of you and me, my dear, he was
talking of you and me.



Thought I heard the thunder rumbling in the sky;
It was Hitler over Europe, saying: 'They must die';
We were in his mind, my dear, we were in his mind.

Saw a poodle in a jacket fastened with a pin,
Saw a door opened and a cat let in:
But they weren't German Jews, my dear, but they
weren't German Jews.

Went down the harbour and stood upon the quay1
,
Saw the fish swimming as if they were free:
Only ten feet away, my dear, only ten feet away.

Walked through a wood, saw the birds in the trees;
They had no politicians and sang at their ease:
They weren't the human race, my dear, they weren't
the human race.

Dreamed I saw a building with a thousand floors,
A thousand windows and a thousand doors;
Not one of them was ours, my dear, not one of them
was ours.

Stood on a great plain in the falling snow;
Ten thousand soldiers marched to and fro:
Looking for you and me, my dear, looking for you
and me.

Answer 17

yeah, i think it's A

Answer 18

Ok. I think you and @bookworm00981 are both right. Thanks so much guys!! I really appreciate it. I'll let you know if it's right.

Answer 19

ok let's hope it is :)

Answer 20

It's right! Y'all are awesome thank you :)