In "The Cremation of Sam McGee," the first stanza repeats at the end of the poem.
How does this repetition influence the poem's meaning?
The first stanza introduces what the speaker does to Sam McGee; by the last stanza, the reader better understands the "strange things" that have happened.
The first stanza describes how the speaker cremates Sam McGee; the last stanza shows that the speaker never actually cremates Sam McGee.
The first stanza describes what the speaker thinks Lake Lebarge will be like; the last stanza shows how Lake Lebarge really appears.
The first stanza introduces the people who look for gold in the Arctic; by the last stanza, the reader knows that no one really looked for gold.
The correct answer is: The first stanza introduces what the speaker does to Sam McGee; by the last stanza, the reader better understands the "strange things" that have happened.
The repetition of the first stanza at the end of the poem reinforces the central theme and events of the poem. The reader is initially introduced to the speaker's grim task of cremating Sam McGee. The repetition at the end serves to emphasize and further explain the strange and supernatural events that transpired, leading to the final chilling revelation about Sam McGee's fate.