In "The Weary Blues," the blues musician's hands are juxtaposed with the which of the following?

In "The Weary Blues," the blues musician's hands are juxtaposed with the which of the following?

• A. guitar strings
• B. drum set
• C. piano keys
• D. trumpet valves

Answer: (C)

This item looks at how a poet uses juxtaposition to connect physical action with musical emotion. In The Weary Blues, the pianist’s fatigue and the act of playing are shown through the image of his hands moving over the piano keys, making the keys the place where the blues comes to life. The contrast between the worn, heavy hands and the responsive piano keys emphasizes that the music and mood arise from the physical act of touching the keys—the keys are the medium through which the emotion is expressed. That makes piano keys the best choice, because the poem centers on a pianist seated at a piano and producing sound by striking those keys. Other instruments listed aren’t part of the scene, so they wouldn’t capture the same image of the musician’s hands interacting with the instrument to create the blues.

This item looks at how a poet uses juxtaposition to connect physical action with musical emotion. In The Weary Blues, the pianist’s fatigue and the act of playing are shown through the image of his hands moving over the piano keys, making the keys the place where the blues comes to life. The contrast between the worn, heavy hands and the responsive piano keys emphasizes that the music and mood arise from the physical act of touching the keys—the keys are the medium through which the emotion is expressed.

That makes piano keys the best choice, because the poem centers on a pianist seated at a piano and producing sound by striking those keys. Other instruments listed aren’t part of the scene, so they wouldn’t capture the same image of the musician’s hands interacting with the instrument to create the blues.