Simile in "Getting Out"

Question 11: Point out examples of figurative language and explain.

The simile is contained in lines 1-2 reading, "That year we hardly slept, waking like inmates who beat on the walls." The speaker is referring to a spouse and herself. Comparing a couple to inmates seems to be an inappropriate comparison. Inmates do not experience intimacy like a married couple can. However, in this situation inmates was a qualified comparison in that the couple were unhappy together which led to the divorce. They had nothing in common except for their "matching eyes and hair," (line 16). This suggests that the relationship was merely superficial and lacked any real emotional connection which is why the marriage failed. The divorce seemed mutual as the speaker never spoke negatively of the husband and they took hands to exit the lawyer's office who was approving the divorce as stated in the concluding lines of the poem.

Theme of "Dover Beach"

Question 7: State the central theme in a sentence.

"Dover Beach" discusses a man's attitude towards life. He begins stating his past view and transitions into his present view. He uses many descriptive words to express his initial thoughts or feelings. Lines 1-2 suggest peace and calmness with in the innermost workings of the speaker's mind: "The sea is calm tonight, The tide is full, the moon lies fair upon the straits." In other words, at this time the speaker had everything figured out and he witnessed endless possibilities. Towards the end in lines 21-22, the speaker claims he has lost his previous feelings of inner peace. "The Sea of Faith was once, too, at the full..." He has lost his faith. He says we are only here "as a darkling pain plain swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight," suggesting that he finds no real reason to live. He does not understand why he is here. The central theme of the poem is that negative outlooks on life inhibit one's abilities to be happy and to find purpose in life.

Allusion in "Crossing the Bar"

Question 14: Point out and explain any allusions.

"Crossing the Bar" discusses the journey of life to death of the speaker and how he desires for it to be. He alludes to God a couple times in the work. He first suggests the presence of God in line 2: "And one clear call for me!" God was calling on the speaker because his time was approaching. In line 15 the speaker says he "hope[s] to see [his] Pilot face to face..." In this line "Pilot" was written as a proper noun which suggests that he was referring to a literal being of importance. Pilot was an appropriate title for God because the pilot controls and navigates, similar to how God creates and sustains life. The speaker desires to meet his "Pilot" because he knows how much power He had over his entire existence.

Tone of "My mistress' eyes"

Question 8: Discuss the tone of the poem. How is it achieved?

In the beginning of William Shakespeare's "My mistress' eyes," the speaker states that his "mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips red..."(lines 1-2). These beginning statements strike the reader as having a negative tone. The speaker bashes his mistress and compares her to other things that he finds more pleasant, such as in line 10 when he states that "music hath a far more pleasing sound" than her voice when she speaks. No one would ever want to hear their significant other saying these negative things about them. To conclude the poem, however, the speaker takes on a more loving tone towards the mistress. "I think my love as rare as any," (line 13) shows how much he really does love her. Ultimately the speaker is suggesting that love involves far greater than just appearances. You have to have a foundation that is not superficial.

Symbols in "Ozymandias"

Question 12: Point out and explain any symbols.

"Ozymandias" discussed a statue of a tyrant from Egypt. The author was very descriptive about the appearance of it. The current condition of the statue was very poor as expressed in lines 4 and 12-13.

"Half sunk, a shattered visage lies..."

"Nothing beside remains... the decay of that colossal wreck..."

The poor condition of the statue is symbolic of Ozymandias' overall reign over Egypt. The "decay of that colossal wreck" is signifying the destruction of Egypt that he caused to all the people he ruled over. He was very destructive to the Egyptian nation. Nothing remaining of the statue is symbolic of the fact that he took away all rights of the people. This could also be symbolic of how when he went out of power, nothing good remained of Egypt. He had "decayed" the entire country.

Central purpose of "APO 96225"

Question 6: What is the central purpose of the poem?

"APO 96225" was written in respect to situations in the Vietnam War. Essentially, this poem was written to express the attitude American citizens had towards the soldiers and the war in general. Lines 13-18 address the overall attitude well.

"...'Son we want you to tell us everything. Everything!'

So the next time he wrote, the young man said,

'Today I killed a man...'

And the father wrote back,

'Please don't write such depressing letters. You're

upsetting your mother'..."

The American people did not understand the war. They did not care to ask the soldiers about what was going on and they did not want to hear it. Many of them were ignorant of the realities of war and what their loved ones endured. The central purpose of this poem was to express the lack of respect the Vietnam veterans received from the American people.

Theme of "Barbie Doll"

Question 7: State the central theme of the poem.

The overall theme of "Barbie Doll" was that society holds certain standards for the definition of pretty and individuals are pressured into conforming to them. Lines 12-14 express some of the things that the speaker's acquaintance was making herself do to conform to society.

"She was advised to play coy,

exhorted to come on hearty,

exercise, diet, smile and wheedle."

This girl started out normal but soon changed her ways to become "pretty" according to society. When puberty begins, everyone becomes self-aware and judges others. This creates a lot of pressure on young women to reach the expectations of everyone else. The excessive dieting and exercise and the need to be skinny are huge factors in today's world. The pressures of society are extremely hurtful and cause so much stress, especially on women. Sometimes it becomes so hard to deal with that we "[wear] out like a fan belt," (line 16) just as the woman in the poem did.

Paradox in "Batter my heart, three-personed God"

Question 13: Point out and explain any examples of paradox... What is their function?

In "Batter my heart, three personed God" many paradoxes can be found. An example of one is in lines 12-13.

"Take me to you, imprison me, for I,

Except you enthrall me, never shall be free..."

It seems odd for the speaker to ask God to imprison him to make him free. Doesn't being imprisoned imply that one is trapped or confined? However, here the speaker is stating that being imprisoned or confined in God is his best possible option. It would steer him away from evil and sin. He would be completely consumed in God which therefore brings him freedom of all evil.

Allusion in "February"

Question 14: Point out and explain any allusions. What is their function?

In "February" the speaker alludes to the game of hockey in line 20. "He shoots, he scores!"

The goal of hockey is to shoot the puck into the net to score a point. It is a common sport during the winter months in which the speaker is currently engrossed in. This reference to hockey is alluded to in order to relay another message to the reader. The phrase in line 20 is stated to give an example of the "game" men play to "score." The speaker feels that scoring is all that men care about. This could also possibly be taken more literally because through the fact that many (but not all) men like spending the weekends watching sports instead of helping around the house. This would add to her argument that men are careless individuals.

Irony in "Pink Dog"

Question 13: Point out and explain any examples of paradox, hyperbole, understatement, and irony. What is their function?

"Pink Dog" discusses individuals in poverty living on the Rio de Janeiro during the Carnival. The speaker seems to be complaining about the poor and their filth. The poor are referred to as dogs. They are considered less than the rest of the population.

"It's been in all the papers,

to solve this problem, how they deal with beggars?

They take them and throw them in the tidal rivers."

They are later referred to as "idiots, paralytics, parasites..." in line 16.

The irony occurs in the concluding stanza.

"Carnival is always wonderful!

A depilated dog would not look well.

Dress up! Dress up and dance at Carnival!"

The poor are not good enough to be among society, but for Carnival, the common people tell the poor to dress up and celebrate with them. I find it ironic that the poor are not good enough to be among society at any time throughout the year until Carnival. At this time, they are to dress up and celebrate. Otherwise they are "thrown in the tidal rivers."

Personification in "Bright Star"

Question 11: Point out examples of figurative language and explain their appropriateness.

The speaker in "Bright Star" speaks to a star, wishing to be steadfast as it is. He personifies the star in line 3 when he says the star "watch[es], with eternal lids apart." The star is not human and cannot have human qualities. The speaker uses this example, though, to better explain his feelings toward life and ultimately love. The star gives a more concrete example of the abstract feelings of hope and love for the future. Without this example, the reader would not be able to connect with the speaker as well. A concrete example gives the reader a starting point to begin basing ideas off of. Poetry would not be as beautiful without figurative language and the mystery it creates.

Central Purpose of "Dream Deferred"

Question 6: What is the central purpose of the poem?

"Dream Deferred" exhibits multiple ideas regarding the outcome of not following one's dream. The central purpose of this poem is the idea that if you don't go after a dream, it will result in a negative end. The speaker gives many possible outcomes of various bad things that could happen if a dream is not pursued.

"What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore-"

The results vary throughout the poem. The speaker's purpose is to persuade the reader to go after dreams. If they are avoided or neglected, nothing good can come from it.

Theme of "February"

Question 7: State the central theme of the poem in a sentence.

The central theme expressed in "February" is that love and emotion does us in and we cannot resist it. While beginning to read the poem, the theme seems quite the opposite. The speaker frequently bashes males and their desires through her comparison to a cat.

"If I'm not [dead], he wants to be scratched; if I am
he'll think of something..."

As the poem continues, however, the speaker states that she needs to go out and find love.

"You're the life principle,
more or less, so get going
on a little optimism around here.
Get rid of death. Celebrate increase. Make it be spring."

No matter how much the speaker may hate the idea of love, Valentine's Day, or anything associated with it, she recognizes that love is still a necessity. Every person desires it in some way. She knows she must stop making excuses for everything and go out into the world to find love and begin her life.

Sound of "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain"

Question 16: Discuss the adaptation of sound to sense.

"I felt a Funeral, in my Brain" consisted largely of funeral imagery, applying mainly to sound and hearing. To create imagery, I most often feel that a description of appearances is necessary to evoke a sense of what is taking place. This poem, however, serves as a prime example of how sound, not only sight, can create effective imagery and sense to the reader. Many sounds are heard by the speaker including the following lines:

"...mourners to and fro kept treading..."

"...a service like a drum - kept beating..."

"And then I heard them lift a box and creak across my soul..."

"...and I, and silence..."

These sounds give the reader enough of a sense of what is occurring without having to use descriptions of appearances, smells, etc. We have no need to visualize events to understand the poem's meaning. Sound alone is sufficient enough. It also serves to further enhance the poem's underlying meaning. The speaker's journey to insanity keeps her isolated from the world, similar to how the speaker would be isolated inside the casket. She can hear the outside world, but she cannot physically see herself as a part of it.

Theme of "Those Winter Sundays"

Question 7: State the central theme of the poem in a sentence.

"Those Winter Sundays" expressed one clear and concise theme or meaning throughout the work. The central theme of this poem is that what others do for another is not always appreciated fully until it is too late. This idea is expressed most vividly in the first and last stanzas.

"Sundays too my father got up early

and put his clothes on in the blueblack cold,

then with cracked hands that ached

from labor in the weekday weather made

banked fires blaze. No one ever thanked him..."

"Speaking indifferently to him,

who had driven out the cold

and polished my good shoes as well.

What did I know of love's austere and lonely offices?"

The first stanza shows this theme and his regret through the unbalanced sentences. He now recognizes that he never gave his father enough credit for his hard work for the family. He spoke "indifferently" to his father, showing a lack of acknowledgement of his dad's labor. The final question the speaker asks at the end of this poem displays that he lacked an understanding of what it took to raise a family and keep everyone well. In this poem they show that they have now reached that understanding; however, it is now too late to go back and thank his father.

Allusion in "The Convergence of Twain"

Question 14: Point out and explain any allusions. What is their function?

In "The Convergence of Twain," I found that God was alluded to twice within the poem. The first was within stanza VI, referring to God as the "Immanent Will." The second was within stanza XI, referring to God as the "Spinner of the Years."

VI

"Well: while was fashioning

This creature of cleaving wing,

The Immanent Will that stirs and urges everything..."

XI

"Till the Spinner of the Years

Said 'Now!' And each one hears,

And consummation comes, and jars two atmospheres."

Using Immanent Will to refer to God suggested that the Titanic sinking was God's will, immanent in that it could not be changed or prevented. Referring to God as a Spinner of the Years creates the image of God spinning or weaving individuals and events in and out of life throughout time as a seamstress spins thread into some form of clothing, blankets, etc. All the events serve as part of a bigger picture. God intended for the crash to happen and it cannot be explained other than that God has a plan.

Irony in "The Widow's Lament in Springtime"

Question 13: Point out and explain any examples of... and irony. What is their function?

"The Widow's Lament in Springtime" expressed what I feel is a rather ironic idea. Descriptions of spring usually cause a reader to make associations with new life, a new start, or an end to winter. However, the speaker of this poem associates spring with death, which is quite the opposite of the usual connection to new life.

"Masses of flowers

load the cherry branches

and color some bushes

yellow and some red

but the grief in my heart

is stronger than they..."

The speaker expresses much sorrow at the start of spring because of the memory of the death of her husband. The poem's irony, however, serves an important purpose which is to carry out the extent of which the speaker feels depressed over her loss. Even though there is new life around her and joy at the new season, she does not experience anything but death because she is unable to move on. As nature moves on from death to life from winter to spring, the speaker continues to dwell in her own personal "winter." She also has no intention of overcoming her sorrows, as she states at the end of the poem:

"I feel that I would like

to go there

and fall into those flowers

and sink into the marsh near them."

The Tone of "Spring"

Question 8: Discuss the tone of the poem and how it is achieved.

"Spring" by Gerard Manley Hopkins has been interpreted in a few different ways, but I believe there is one definite tone to his poem. In the beginning of the poem the tone is that of thoughtfulness, which is regarding the "new life" of children, or their innocence. The first line of the poem, "Nothing is so beautiful as spring," begins the speaker's reflection of the "richness" of youthful innocence and lack of sin. The tone later changes into that of desire and yearning. This is achieved mainly through the last stanza of the poem:

"Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,

Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,

Most, O maid's child, thy choice and worthy the winning."

These concluding lines serve as a plea to Christ to keep the "beauty" of youthful innocence and new life before they become "sour with sinning". The speaker recognizes the sinful changes that develop over time and prays to Christ that he can spare children of this sin and keep the beauty of the "spring" alive.

Perrine Poetry Blog

While reading Perrine's "The Nature of Proof in the Interpretation of Poetry," I found points that I agree with but also some ideas that I disagree with. I agree with his idea at the end of the first paragraph that states "there are no correct or incorrect readings: there are only readings which differ more or less widely from a statistical norm." I believe that poetry can be interpreted a numerous amount of ways, and many of them can be correct. Perrine also lists two determining factors for a correct judgment of a poem that I agree with. "Be[ing] able to account... for any detail," and "[relying] on the fewest assumptions," is a good way to determine the meaning of a poem. The poem was not written with any unimportant details, so each one must be accounted for, which made a lot of sense to me while I was reading Perrine's article. I do disagree, however, with the author's idea that if a poet must explain his poem, he has failed. A poem is a poem and if it has meaning, it has meaning. Just because the author has had to explain it to someone does not diminish the poem's true meaning and value. I do not see what one has to do with the other.

After reading the article I was at first proud of myself for interpreting Emily Dickinson's poem close to the way that Perrine did. I determined that the poem was about the sunset, however I took "ships" as having a literal meaning while Perrine said that they were actually clouds. What I found most shocking though was when the author stated that "Whitman's [poem] is literal, Melville's [is] metaphorical. Whitman's is about an army corps on the march, Melville's is about the stars." I am not sure that I even believe that Melville's was about the stars. Of all the things you could compare stars to, why would someone choose to use an army corps? The only words that insinuate stars are the adjectives "bright," "shining," etc. But these terms can describe more than stars. I felt the poem was written by someone who admired the army and was seeing their grandeur. I feel that makes much more sense. I also found it hard to believe that Blake's poem was literally about a rose and a worm. The word choice suggests so much more and I just don't get why someone would write a poem about a worm and a rose without having another underlying meaning. I also do not understand how Perrine comes to determine this about Blake's poem. How does he know that the poem has literal meaning?