AP Success - AP English Literature: Planetarium
Adrienne Rich, "Planetarium" from Collected Poems: 1950-2012. Copyright © 2016 by The Adrienne Rich Literary Trust. Copyright © 1971 W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. Reprinted by permission of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc..A woman in the shape of a monstera monster in the shape of a womanthe skies are full of them5a woman ‘in the snowamong the Clocks and instrumentsor measuring the ground with poles’in her 98 years to discover108 cometsshe whom the moon ruledlike uslevitating into the night sky15riding the polished lensesGalaxies of women, theredoing penance for impetuousnessribs chilled20in those spaces of the mindAn eye,‘virile, precise and absolutely certain’25from the mad webs of Uranusborgencountering the NOVAevery impulse of light exploding30from the coreas life flies out of usTycho whispering at last35‘Let me not seem to have lived in vain’What we see, we seeand seeing is changing40the light that shrivels a mountainand leaves a man aliveHeartbeat of the pulsarheart sweating through my body45The radio impulsepouring in from TaurusI am bombarded yet I stand50I have been standing all my life in thedirect path of a battery of signalsthe most accurately transmitted mostuntranslatable language in the universe55I am a galactic cloud so deep so invo-luted that a light wave could take 15years to travel through me And hastaken I am an instrument in the shapeof a woman trying to translate pulsations60into images for the relief of the bodyand the reconstruction of the mind.
Question 1
The phrase "a woman in the shape of a monster / a monster in the shape of a woman" (lines 1-2) primarily serves to:
Highlight the physical appearance of the woman.
Emphasize the societal judgment of the woman's actions.
Contrast the external appearance with the internal identity.
Illustrate the dual nature of the woman's character.
Indicate a transformation of the woman into a monster.
Question 2
In lines 5-7, the imagery associated with "a woman 'in the snow / among the Clocks and instruments / or measuring the ground with poles'" most directly suggests:
The woman's domestic responsibilities.
The passage of time and its effects on the woman.
The woman's struggle against natural elements.
The woman's engagement with scientific endeavors.
A sense of isolation and detachment.
Question 3
The mention of "8 comets" in line 10 most likely symbolizes:
The woman's aspirations and dreams.
The vastness and mystery of the universe.
The woman's destructive power and influence.
The fleeting nature of life and opportunities.
The woman's achievements and discoveries.
Question 4
The phrase "she whom the moon ruled" (line 12) implies that the woman:
Has a cyclical nature akin to the phases of the moon.
Is isolated from society and aligned with nature.
Possesses a deep understanding of astronomical phenomena.
Is influenced by external forces beyond her control.
Has a mystical or supernatural connection to the moon.
Question 5
The reference to "Galaxies of women" in line 17 most likely symbolizes:
The cosmic insignificance of human endeavors.
The collective struggles and triumphs of women.
The isolation and distance between individual women.
The expansive and unexplored potential of women.
The multitude of roles women play in society.
Question 6
The description of the eye as "virile, precise and absolutely certain" (line 24) contrasts with the earlier depictions of women by suggesting:
The contrast between human perceptions and cosmic realities.
The dominance of masculine traits in certain contexts.
The reliability and objectivity of observation.
A scientific approach to understanding the universe.
A male perspective that is confident and assertive.
Question 7
The term "NOVA" in line 27 metaphorically represents:
The woman's impact on her surroundings and society.
The cyclical nature of creation and destruction.
The explosive and destructive potential within the woman.
The birth of new ideas or the beginning of a transformative phase.
A sudden enlightenment or realization experienced by the woman.
Question 8
In lines 37-38, "What we see, we see / and seeing is changing" suggests that:
Visibility and recognition are essential for change.
Human interaction with the world is transformative.
Understanding is a dynamic and evolving process.
Observing something can alter its inherent nature.
Perception is subjective and influenced by personal biases.
Question 9
The comparison of a heartbeat to "the pulsar" (line 43) serves to:
Portray the woman as a central and stable force.
Suggest a synchronicity between personal and universal events.
Highlight the mechanical aspects of the human body.
Emphasize the rhythm and vitality inherent in nature.
Illustrate the woman's connection to cosmic phenomena.
Question 10
The passage concludes with the speaker identifying as "an instrument in the shape of a woman" (line 58), which suggests:
The speaker's alignment with the tools of discovery and understanding.
The transformation of the speaker through external influences.
The speaker's struggle with her identity and purpose.
The reduction of the speaker's identity to her functional attributes.
The speaker's role as a mediator between different realms of experience.
Teach with AI superpowers
Why teachers love Class Companion
Import assignments to get started in no time.
Create your own rubric to customize the AI feedback to your liking.
Overrule the AI feedback if a student disputes.