A Contemplation Upon Flowers - Literature Notes
The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text. This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others.
Brave flowers, 1.that I could 5.gallant it like you, and be as little vain; You come abroad and make a 6.harmless show, And to your beds of earth again; LITERAL MEANING You are not proud, you know your birth, The persona wishes that he could be as brave For your embroidered garments are from earth. as the flowers, who are aware of their allegiance to the earth. They know their You do obey your months and times, but I place and obey the order, or cycle, of life and would have it ever spring; death. The persona wishes that he could be this My fate would know no winter, never die, nor way because he is the opposite, he wants to live think of such a thing; forever. The persona wants the flowers to teach Oh that I could 2.my bed of earth but view, him NOT to fear death, but to accept it. 1.and smile and look as cheerfully as you. Oh teach me to see death and not to fear, LITERARY DEVICES But rather to take truce; 1. SIMILE 3.How often have I seen you at a 6.bier, And there look fresh and spruce; Stanza 1, line: The persona is wishing You fragrant flowers then 7.teach me that my that he could be as brave as the flower. breath like yours may sweeten and perfume my This implies that the persona does not death. think that he is brave, but a coward in the face of death. Berry, J. 'A Contemplation Upon Flowers' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
Stanza 2, line 14: This is another comparison between the persona and the plant. The persona wishes that he could look death in the face and be cheerful, like the plant. Again, this emphasizes that he fears death.
2. EUPHEMISM This phrase is a replacement for the word death. It softens death and makes it appear welcoming and pleasant. 3. IRONY It is ironic that the flowers look so fresh and alive, when they are facing their very mortality, on
the top of a casket. Death is a sad affair, yet the flowers are at their best when ushering people back to the earth. 4. PERSONIFICATION The persona is speaking directly to the flowers and giving them human qualities, therefore, the whole poem is an example of the use of personification at its best. He even goes as far as to ask the flowers to teach him things that will allow him to acquire their qualities. IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 5. 'galant' This word literally means brave or heroic. The word, however, also brings to mind adjectives such as charming and attentive, like a knight would be in olden days. So the plants are not simply brave in their acceptance of death, but they are also gracious. 6. 'harmless show' The word harmless sticks out in this phrase because it implies that the flowers are demure and quiet in their beauty. 7. 'bier' This is a movable frame on which a coffin or a corpse is placed before a burial or cremation, or on which they are carried to the grave. 8. 'teach me that my breath like yours may sweeten and perfume my death' This implies that if death is not feared, then the person will go into death's arms joyfully, without any sorrow, remorse or bitterness. TONE The tone of the poem is admiration, because the persona literally admires the flowers for its accepting attitude towards death. MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE The mood, or atmosphere of the poem is a pensive one. The persona is thinking about death, how he relates to it versus how others relate to it. CONTRAST A contrast in this poem is the persona's fear of death, versus the flowers' acceptance of it. THEMATIC CATEGORY Death, nature,
O'l Higue - Literature Notes The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text. You think I like this 5.stupidness! 6.gallivanting all night without skin, 1.burning myself out like cane-fire 2.to frighten the foolish? 2.And for what? A few drops of baby blood? 2.You think I wouldn't rather take my blood seasoned in fat black-pudding, like everyone else? And don't even talk 'bout the pain of salt and having to bend these old bones down to count a thousand grains of rice! If only babies didn't smell so nice! And if I could only stop hearing 3.the soft, soft call of that 7.pure blood running in new veins, 4.singing the sweet song of life tempting an old, dry-up woman who been 8.holding her final note for years and years, afraid of the dying hum ... Then again, if I didn't fly and come to that 9.fresh pulse in the middle of the night, 2.how would you, mother, name your ancient dread? 2.And who to blame for the murder inside your head ...? Believe me As long as it have women giving birth a poor ol' higue like me can never dead.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others. LITERAL MEANING In this poem, the Ol' Higue / soucouyant tells of her frustration with her lifestyle. She does not like the fact that she sometimes has to parade around, in the form of a fireball, without her skin at night. She explains that she has to do this in order to scare people, as well as to acquire baby blood. She explains that she would rather acquire this blood via cooked food, like every-one else. Her worst complaint is the pain of salt, as well as having to count rice grains. She exhibits some regret for her lifestyle but implies that she cannot resist a baby's smell, as well as it's pure blood. The 'newness' of the baby tempts the Ol' Higue, and she cannot resist because she is an old woman who fears death, which can only be avoided by consuming the baby's blood. She affirms her usefulness in the scheme of things, however, by claiming that she provides mothers with a name for their fears (this being the death of a child), as well as some-one to blame when the evil that they wish for their child, in moments of tired frustration, is realized. She implies that she will never die, so long as women keep having babies.
McWatt, M. 'Ol' Higue' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005. LITERARY DEVICES 1. SIMILE Cane-fire has a very distinct quality. It burns very quickly and its presence is felt through it's
pungent smell. Therefore, when the Ol' Higue compares herself to cane fire in her fireball state, it implies that she uses a lot of energy quickly, and is very visible. 2. RHETORICAL QUESTION
Stanza 1,line 4: This rhetorical question highlights the scant regard that the Higue has for the average person. She is thoroughly annoyed that she has to literally waste her energy on them. Stanza 1, line 5: This highlights the fact that, again, she is annoyed that she has to expend so much energy to obtain a few drops of baby blood. Stanza 1, lines 6-8: The Ol' Higue is emphasizing the fact that regular people ingest blood too, just in a more palatable manner. She would not mind if she could ingest it in the same manner as well. Stanza 3, lines 22-23: At this point the Ol' Higue is making excuses for her presence, claiming that she serves an actual purpose in the scheme of life. If a child dies of unknown causes, she can be scapegoated for it. Stanza 3, lines 24-25: 'The murder inside your head' refers to the moments, when out of pure frustration and tiredness, a mother might wish ill on her child. The Ol' Higue is implying that, again, she can be used as a scapegoat if something unfortunate happens to the child. The mother is relieved of bearing the burden of guilt.
3. REPETITION The repetition of the word 'soft' emphasizes the fact that the call of the child's blood has captured and beguiled the Ol' Higue'. She implies that she cannot resist that call. 4. ALLITERATION This device emphasizes the Ol' Higue's dependence, even addiction, to the sweet blood of the baby. IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 5. 'stupidness!' This is a distinctly Caribbean phrase that highlights frustration or scorn. Therefore, it highlights the Ol' Higue's frustration with her lack of self control. 6. 'gallivanting' This term refers to some one 'playing around', having fun. The Ol' Higue is being sarcastic at this point. She is expressing displeasure at having to fly around to seek prey. 7. 'pure blood running in new veins' Babies are often associated with purity, this is what is emphasized here. The Ol' Higue simply cannot resist the lure of new and pure blood. 8. 'holding her final note for years and years, afraid of the dying hum ...' This tells us that the Ol'Higue has been living this desperate existence for a long time. It also implies that she will keep hanging on, despite her frustration. The final line confirms this point: 'As long as it have women giving birth a poor Ol' Higue like me can never dead' MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE
The mood of the poem is reflective. TONE The tone of the poem is slightly bitter and resigned. She accepts that the cycle of her life cannot change. THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION Supernatural
A Stone's Throw - Literature Notes
The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text. 5.We shouted out 'We've got her! Here she is! It's her all right '. We caught her. There she was 1.A decent-looking woman, you'd have said, (6.They often are) Beautiful, but 7.dead scared, 8.Tousled - we roughed her up A little, 9.nothing much And not the first time By any means She'd felt men's hands Greedy over her body 10.But ours were virtuous, Of course. And if our fingers bruised Her shuddering skin, These were love-bites, compared To the 2.hail of kisses of stone, The last assault And 11.battery, frigid rape, 3.To come 12.Of right.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others. LITERAL MEANING A crowd has caught a woman. The persona implies to the reader that the woman is not decent. She was beautiful, but scared because she had gotten 'roughed up' a little by the crowd. The persona states that the woman has experienced men's hands on her body before, but this crowd's hands were virtuous. He also makes a proviso that if this crowd bruises her, it cannot be compared to what she has experienced before. The persona also speaks about a last assault and battery to come. He justifies this last assault by calling it justice, and it is justice that feels not only right, but good. The crowd's 'justice' is placed on hold by the interruption of a preacher, who stops to talk to the lady. He squats on the ground and writes something that the crowd cannot see. Essentially, the preacher judges them, thereby allowing the lady to also judge the crowd, leading to the crowd inevitably judging itself. The crowd walks away from the lady, still holding stones [which can be seen as a metaphor for judgments] that can be thrown another day.
For justice must be done Specially when It 13.tastes so good.
LITERARY DEVICES 1. SARCASM The persona is making the point that the lady was in fact NOT decent looking.
And then - 14.this guru, Preacher, God-merchant, God-knows-what Spoilt the whole thing, Speaking to her 15.(Should never speak to them) Squatting on the ground - her level,
2. PERSONIFICATION This device is particularly effective because the word 'kisses' is used. Kiss implies something pleasant, but it is actually utilized to emphasize something painful that has happened to the lady; she was
Writing in the dust Something we couldn't read. 16.And saw in her Something we couldn't see At least until 17.He turned his eyes on us, Her eyes on us, Our eyes upon ourselves. 18.We walked away Still holding stones That we may throw Another day Given the urge.
stoned. 3. PUN
Title: The title of the poem is itself a pun on two levels. A stone's throw is used by many people in the Caribbean to describe a close distance. eg. "She lives a stone's throw away". The other use of the title is to highlight the content of the poem. It is a figurative stoning, or judging, of a woman.
Mitchel, E. 'A Stone's Throw' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
Line 23: There is a play on the word 'come'. The persona is telling the reader that the crowd is planning to rape the lady. This act is to come, or occur, in the near future. Come, in this context, also means to ejaculate, the culmination of the act of sex. The rapists in the crowd also plan to 'come'.
4. ALLUSION (biblical) The content of the poem alludes to the story of Mary Magdalene in the Christian Bible. See John 8 v 5-7. IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 5. 'we' This immediately tells the reader that the persona is in a crowd, which highlights to us that the mob mentality exists in this context. The crowd acts as one entity. 6. 'they' The use of this word immediately alienates the lady and places her in the scornful realm of the 'other'. 7. 'dead scared' The use of the term 'dead' to describe the lady's emotional state of fearfulness implies that she is extremely frightened, it is beyond regular fear. 8. 'tousled' This word means to be handled roughly and, as a result, to look disorderly and disheveled. It is the perfect word to use in this context because it adds to the sexual innuendo that exists throughout the poem. 9. 'nothing much'
The persona disregards the damage that they have done to the lady. He admits to the rough treatment, but tries to make himself, and the crowd, look favourable despite their wrong doings. 10. 'But ours were virtuous, Of course' This is almost like a tongue in cheek admittance that their touch was actually the opposite of virtuous. The use of the term 'of course' highlights this interpretation. 11. 'battery' In the Caribbean context, battery refers to the slang term for the rape of an individual, conducted by several people in succession. Therefore, the persona is pointing out the intent of the crowd, or some people in the crowd. 12. 'Of right' This is a clear indication, from the persona, that he believes that he and the mob are in the right. 13. 'tastes so good' 'Taste', to a lot of individuals, is one of the higher senses. Therefore, when the persona uses this word, he is highlighting the intense pleasure that he anticipates from meting out this 'justice'. 14. 'this guru, Preacher, God-merchant, God-knows-what' The persona's annoyance at this individual for disrupting his fun comes out in this statement. The persona is deliberately being disrespectful. 15. '(Should never speak to them)' This particular line speaks to the alienation that the lady faces. She is scornfully grouped as 'them'. 16. 'And saw in her something we couldn't see' The intruder saw value in the lady, something that the crowd did not see. 17. 'He turned his eyes on us, Her eyes on us, Her eyes upon ourselves.' This speaks to the fact that the preacher and the lady judge the crowd, and, more importantly, the crowd judges itself. The preacher's act of kindness sheds light on the cruelty that is inflicted on the lady by the crowd. 18. 'We walked away Still holding stones' This implies that the crowd still plans to keep judging, and acting on their judgments, as they see fit. TONE The tone of the poem is mixed. At times it is almost braggadocious, then it becomes sarcastic, moving to scornful. THEMATIC CATEGORY Discrimination, religion, survival, hypocrasy, oppression, alienation.
Dreaming Black Boy - Literature Notes The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text. 1.I wish my teacher's eyes wouldn't go past me today. Wish he'd know it's okay to hug me when I kick a goal.1.Wish I myself wouldn't hold back when an answer comes. 2.I'm no woodchopper now like all ancestor's. 1.I wish I could be educated to the best of tune up, and earn good money and 3.not sink to lick boots.1.I wish I could go on every crisscross way of the globe and no persons or powers or hotel keepers would make it a waste. 1.I wish life wouldn't spend me out opposing.1.Wish same way creation would have me stand it would have me stretch, and hold high, 2.my voice Paul Robeson's, my 4.inside eye a sun. Nobody wants to say hello to nasty answers. 1.I wish 2.torch throwers of night would burn lights for decent times. 1.Wish 2.plotters in pyjamas would pray for themselves. Wish people wouldn't talk as if I dropped from Mars 1.I wish only boys were scared behind bravados, for I could suffer. I could suffer a big big lot. 1.I wish nobody would want to earn the terrible burden I can suffer. King, H. 'Dreaming Black Boy' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmond-McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others. LITERAL MEANING The poem is about a black boy who wishes that he could have regular things in life. Things such as a congratulatory hug, to be educated to the highest level and to travel without harassment. The persona yearns to stop fighting for the basic right to be successful and to rise above societal expectations.
LITERARY DEVICES 1. REPETITION: The constant repetition of the phrase 'I wish' points to a yearning, a desperation even, for the basic things that life has to offer. The repetition gives credence to the idea that the persona might believe that his wishes are actually dreams that might not come true. 2. ALLUSION:
Stanza 1, lines 6 and 7, alludes to slavery, the state of lacking control over one's own life and destiny. The fact that reference is made to this hints to how the persona feels about his life. He does not feel as if he has control over it.
Stanza 3, lines 19 to 20, alludes to Paul Robeson, a black intellectual, who attained success despite difficult circumstances. The persona yearns to be like this person. He wants room to stretch intellectually. Stanza 4, lines 22 to 25, alludes to the klu klux klan. Burning lights refers to the burning of crosses and the pyjamas alludes to their white outfits that look like pyjamas. The persona wants them to leave him alone, find something else to do other than make his life difficult by contributing to his wishes remaining in the realm of the dreams.
IMPORTANT WORDS / PHRASE 3.'not sink to lick boots' This refers to the concept of being subservient. To have no choice but to kowtow to people in order to get ahead. 4. 'Inside eye a sun' This refers to the persona's mind. He wants to show how intelligent he is without fear. He wants his mind to be a sun. Sun represents brightness and light, that is how he wants his intelligence to shine. TONE The tone/mood of the poem is one of sadness. The persona is thinking about how he is treated and he reacts to this in a sad way. He keeps wishing that things were different. THEMATIC CATEGORY: Racism, survival, oppression, desire/dreams.
Dulce et Decorum Est - Literature Notes The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others.
3.Bent double, 1.like old beggars under sacks Knock-kneed, 1.coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the 4.haunting flares we turned our backs And towards our distant rest began to trudge. 2.Men marched asleep. 2.Many had lost their boots But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind; Drunk with fatigue; 5.deaf even to the hoots Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
LITERAL MEANING Wilfred Owen, the poet, tells of his first hand experience in war. He tells the tale of tired and wounded soldiers walking through dirt and sludge. Suddenly, there is a warning about gas, which the soldiers hurriedly and awkwardly heed by donning their helmets. Unfortunately, one soldier is too late in donning the helmet and his companions watch him 'drowning' in the gas. The unfortunate soldier was thrown in the back of a wagon, where it is implied that he was left to die. The persona points out that if you (the reader/ listener) could have witnessed these events, then you would not tell children the old lie: dulce et decorum est pro patria mori (It is sweet and honourable to die for one's country).
Gas! Gas! Quick boys! - 6.An ecstasy of fumbling, Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time; But someone still was yelling out and stumbling, And 1.flound'ring like a man in fire or lime ... 7.Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. In all my dreams, before my helpless sight, 8.He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning. If in some smothering dreams you too could pace Behind the 9.wagon that we flung him in, 2.And watch the white eyes writhing in his face, 1.His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin; If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
LITERARY DEVICES 1.SIMILE
Stanza 1, line 1: This simile introduces the exhaustion of the soldiers. Stanza 1, line 2: This emphasizes not only the tiredness of the soldiers, but the fact that they might be sick as well. Stanza 2, line 19: This device gives a visual image of how the soldier physically reacted to the gas. Floundering implies flopping about, therefore, the soldier was flopping about violently. We know it was violent because fire and lime illicit excruciating pain.
1.Obscene as cancer, 1.bitter as the cud Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,My friend, you would not tell with such a high zest To children ardent for some desperate glory, The old Lie: 10.Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori.
Stanza 4, line 39: This device gives a visual image of the expression on the soldier's face. This is a particularly grotesque image that highlights the soldier in the throes of death.
Owen, W. 'Dulceet Decorum Est' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
Stanza 4, line 39: Cancer is a horrible disease that takes many lives on a daily basis. Therefore, to compare this dying soldiers face to this disease is to emphasize the agony that the soldier was going through, which was reflected on his face. Stanza 4, lines 39-40: This is another graphic comparison that compares the soldier's face to incurable sores. 'Sores' is a disgusting visual image of degradation which, in turn, highlights the soldier in the throes of death.
ALLITERATION
Stanza 1, line 7: This device points to the level of fatigue that the soldiers were undergoing. Stanza 1, lines 7-9: This highlights not only the fatigue that the soldiers were feeling, but the fact that they were injured as well. Stanza 4, lines 29-30: This device highlights a visually graphic death mask. The soldier is in the throes of impending death.
IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 3.'Bent double' The soldiers are bent over with fatigue. It is very significant that the poet/ persona initiates the poem by highlighting the exhaustion of the soldiers. He is trying to emphasize the harsh realities of war. 4.'haunting flares' Flares are typically used to signal distress. The flare is fired from a flare gun, in the air, where rescue crafts, at sea or in the air, can have a general idea of the location of the soldiers who are in distress. Therefore, to describe the flares as haunting implies that the soldiers are severly distressed by their situation. 5.'deaf even to the hoots of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.' Five-nines are German 5.9 artillery shells. This means that bullets were firing around them while they were walking. The extent of the soldiers' tiredness is also emphasized at this point because the soldiers do not hear the shells going off around them. 6.'An ecstasy of fumbling'
The word ecstasy, that is used to describe the fumbling, implies the level of panic that this one word (gas) elicits. The soldiers' were so tired that they could not even hear the five nines, but this one word immediately wakes them up. 7.'Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light, as under a green sea, I saw him drowning.' This describes exactly what the outside world looks like through the lens of a gas mask. The effect of the gas is seen in the mention of the word 'drown'. It implies that the unfortunate soldier could not breathe. 8.'He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.' This is the very graphic result of breathing in the gas. It is a very violent reaction, as seen in the word 'plunge'. The dying soldier did not simply reach for the persona/poet, but he did so in a desperate manner, while all the time being unable to breathe. 9.'wagon that we flung him in' The statement implies that the soldier was left for dead in a wagon. No regard was shown to him, through the use of the word 'flung'. This implies that war is heartless and tragic. 10.'Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.' This statement literally means it is sweet and honourable to die for one's country. The persona/ poet clearly does NOT believe this to be the case.
MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE The mood of the poem is reflective. The persona/ poet is thinking about his experiences in WW1. TONE The general tone of the poem is both sarcastic and ironic. The persona/ poet tries to present a visual of the realities of war while using the haunting words that contradict that reality. It is, in fact, NOT sweet and honourable to die for one's country. THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION War, death, survival, oppression, patriotism
Epitaph - Literature Notes The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text. They hanged him on a 4.clement morning, 5.swung between the falling sunlight and the women's breathing, 1.like a black apostrophe to pain. All morning while the children 2.hushed their hopscotch joy and 6.the cane kept growing 3.he hung there sweet and low. At least that's how they tell it. It was long ago and 7.what can we recall of a dead slave or two except when we 8.punctuate our island tale 1.they swing like sighs across 9.the brutal sentences, and 10.anger pauses till they pass away.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others. LITERAL MEANING The poem is an epitaph to a slave that was hung in the past. The first stanza explains that the nameless slave was hung in the morning, and while some respect was paid to his memory, in the form of the children's actions, life essentially went on. In stanza two, the persona makes it clear that this slave's death has little relevance in the present, except as a passing memory when islanders think about what has influenced their lives up to the present.
Scott, Dennis. 'Epitaph' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005. LITERARY DEVICES 1. SIMILE
Stanza 1, line 4: The swinging body of the slave is compared with an apostrophe to pain. This comparison is very powerful because, in English grammar, an apostrophe represents ownership. Therefore, it is implying that the pain of the black race is so palpable that it is almost something that they own. It emphasizes the painful nature of their history. Stanza 2, line 14: The dead slave's body's swing is compared to sighs. A sigh is an exhalation of breathe that can signal many feelings; relief, agitation, joy, etc., with the major quality being brevity. Therefore, the emphasis is not necessarily on the feeling that the dead slave elicits, upon being remembered, but the brevity with which he is remembered.
2. METAPHOR This metaphor emphasizes the fun that the children paused, out of respect for the swinging body of the dead slave.
3. ALLUSION This line alludes to the Negro Spiritual 'Swing Low'. This spiritual speaks of an individual's journey to heaven. This relates to this poem because it carries the implication that the slave's soul has gone to heaven. He hung 'sweet and low' and the chariot came for him, his soul is at rest. IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 4.'clement morning' The slave was hung on a clear, mild and pleasant morning. This highlights the fact that there is no regard for this human being and emphasizes the sadness of this fact. Not even nature cares to coincide with the sadness of this hanging. 5.'swung' 'This is a visual image of the hanging slave. One can literally see the slave swinging. 6.'the cane kept growing' Despite the death of this slave, life literally went on, as chronicled by the growth of the cane. 7.'what can we recall of a dead slave or two' This highlights the disregard shown towards the slave. This line also contributes to the sarcastic tone of the poem. 8.'punctuate our island tale' To punctuate a sentence is to insert commas, full stops etc, in order for the sentence to make sense. Therefore, in this context, when the slave is inserted, or acknowledged in the island's history, it implies that he has an important place in it. 9.'the brutal sentences 'This refers to the actual history of the island. 10.'anger pauses till they pass away.' The reaction to the recollection of the dead slave and his contribution to the island's history is anger. However, this anger is put on hold until the memory of the slave passes away. MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE The mood of the poem is reflective TONE The tone of the poem is reflective and slightly sarcastic. THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION Death, racism, desires and dreams
Forgive My Guilt - Literature Notes The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text. Not always sure what things called sins may be, I am sure of one sin I have done. It was years ago, and I was a boy, I lay in the 1.frost flowers with a gun, 2.the air ran blue as the flowers; I held my breath, 2.two birds on golden legs slim as dream things 2.ran like quick silver on the 1.golden sand, my gun went off, they ran with broken wings into the sea, I ran to fetch them in, but they swam with their heads high out to sea, They cried like two sorrowful high flutes, With 1.jagged ivory bones where wings should be. For days I heard them when I walked that headland, crying out to their kind 4.in the blue, The other plovers were going over south on silver wings leaving these broken two. The cries went out one day; but I still hear them over all the sounds of sorrow 5.in war or peace I ever have heard, time cannot 6.drown them, 1.Those slender flutes of sorrow never cease, 3.Two airy things forever denied the air! I never knew how their lives at last were split, but I have hoped for years all that is wild, Airy, and beautiful will forgive my guilt.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others. LITERAL MEANING An adult is reminiscing about a traumatic childhood experience. The persona went hunting and shot two birds, plovers. He suffers extreme guilt about this action in adulthood. The poem describes the event, the actions of the bird, how he reacts, and, by the last line, asks the birds to forgive his guilt.
LITERARY DEVICES 1.METAPHOR
Line 4: The nature of frost is that it covers everything in its path, therefore, when the flowers are compared to frost, it implies that there were a lot of flowers, enough to hide the boy from the birds.
Coffin, R.P.T. 'Forgive My Guilt' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
Line 8: The sand is being compared to gold, the colour. It is emphasizing how beautiful the setting was. Line 12: This metaphor emphasizes the injuries that the birds sustained. The bones are compared to jagged ivory, which is a direct contrast to the smooth feathers that existed before the injury. Lines 20-21: The birds are compared to a flute, an instrument that plays beautiful music. This emphasizes the sadness that is related to their death.
2. SIMILE
Line 5: The air and the flowers are being compared, both are blue.
Lines 6-7: This simile offers a beautiful visual image of the birds. Dreams are beautiful, and the birds are compared to this. Line 7: The speed of the birds is being highlighted, while also maintaining that beautiful visual imagery.
3. PUN The pun is between the words 'airy' and 'air'. 'Airy' means light and beautiful, while 'air' refers to the sky and flying. The poet is lamenting that these light and beautiful things can no longer fly and feel the pleasure of air rushing past them. IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 4. 'the blue' This literally translates to the sky. The birds were crying out to the other birds that were flying away. 5. 'in war or peace' This phrase highlights the fact that the persona feels extremely guilty about killing the birds, so much so that he thinks about it all the time. Their cries went out for literally one day, but he thinks about the birds all the time. 6. 'drown' It is important that the poet chooses to use the word drown, because it means death. He cannot get rid of the sounds of sorrow that the birds made while they were dying. MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE The mood of the poem is nostalgia and guilt. TONE The tone of the poem is sad. The poet's response to his guilt is sadness. THEMATIC CATEGORY Death, childhood experiences, nature, guilt, loss of innocence, desire/dreams.
God's Grandeur - Literature Notes
The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others.
The world is 7.charged with the 8.grandeur of God. 1.It will flame out, like shining from shook foil: 1.It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil Crushed. 2.Why do men then now not reck 3.his rod? 4.Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; 9.And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil; 5.And wears man's smudge and shares man's smell: the soil is bare now, 10.nor can foot feel, being shod.
LITERAL MEANING The poet expresses that the world is full of God's glory and greatness. This greatness, however, will burn out in a dramatic manner because of man who smears, smudges and pollutes everything without consciousness. Nature is resilient, however, and will persevere from deep in the earth and burst forth, counteracting all of man's ill.
And for all this, nature is never spent; 5.There lives the dearest freshness deep down things; And though the last lights off the black West went Oh, morning, 5.at the brown brink eastward, springs Because the 11.Holy Ghost over the bent 6.World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings. Hopkins, G.M 'God's Grandeur' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
LITERARY DEVICES 1. SIMILE
Line 3: This line indicates that the world will burn out in a brilliant way. Think of how shiny and reflective foil can be, that is the brilliance with which the earth will temporarily burn out. Line 4: Think of the manner in which oil slowly spreads across water, eventually taking over as much of the surface as possible. That is the way in which the world gathers to a greatness.
2. RHETORICAL QUESTION The persona questions why men do not care about God's wrath. He implies that this wrath is sure because the Earth is charged, or commanded with the grandeur of God. 3. ALLUSION (biblical) This 'rod' refers to the rod of correction that is found in the Christian Bible. See 2 Samuel 7:14. This line implies that God will punish man for being reckless with the world.
4. REPETITION This device highlights the damage that man has done to the world. Trodding implies that one walks, or tramples, in order to crush or injure. 5. ALLITERATION
Lines 10-11: This device emphasizes the impact that man has had on his environment. He has impacted every crevice of the world in some negative way, as implied by words such as 'smudge'. Lines 14-15: This device clarifies that the Earth is resilient, no matter what man does to harm it, it will bounce back. Lines 18-19: This device simply re-iterates the resilience of the Earth, we can actually visualize the sun rising.
6. PERSONIFICATION When one broods, they are pondering on something. Therefore, the world ponders, but in a positive way, with warm breasts. This implies that it feels good because it has persevered despite of man's interference. IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 7. 'charged' This word implies intensity, impassioned. Therefore, the world has been gifted with intensity of the greatness of God. 8. 'grandeur' This implies that something is awesome, or awe inspiring. Therefore, the world is infused with the 'greatness' of God. 9. 'And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil; Everything in the world is tainted and influenced by man's presence. 10. 'nor can foot feel, being shod' This means that man is blind to the damage that he has caused. If one is wearing shoes, it protects them from stones etc, therefore, man's consciousness is deadened by his inability to see the damage that he has caused. 11. 'Holy Ghost over the bent' This can be interpreted to mean that salvation is on its way, it also implies that salvation is sure because when one is bent on something, it implies a strong determination. MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE The mood of the poem is pensive because the persona is reflecting on man's influence on the world. TONE The tone of the poem is one of confidence and formality. THEMATIC CATEGORY Nature, religion
It is the Constant Image of your Face - Literature Notes The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text. It is the 3.constant image of your face framed in my hands as you knelt before my chair the 4.grave attention of 1.your eyes surveying me amid my 5.world of knives that stays with me, 1.perennially accuses and convicts me of 2.heart's-treachery: and neither you nor I can plead excuses for you, you know, can claim no loyalty my land takes precedence of all my loves. Yet I beg mitigation, pleading guilty for you, my dear, accomplice of my heart made, without words, 6.such blackmail with your beauty and proffered me such dear protectiveness that I confess without remorse or shame my still-fresh treason to1.my country and hope that she, my other, dearest love will pardon freely, not attaching blame being your mistress (or your match) in tenderness.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others. LITERAL MEANING The persona reflects on the image of someone he cares for. This love interest accused him, with their eyes, of breaking their heart. The persona admits that both of them (he and the love interest) can make no excuses for his behaviour because the love interest does not take precedence over his land, or country. Despite this fact, the persona begs for mercy, pleading guilty for being seduced by his love interest's beauty. This person protects him dearly and he admits that, as a result of this, he has committed treason against his country. He hopes that his country, his other dearest love, will pardon him because he loves both his country and his love interest.
Brutus, D. 'It is the Constant Image of your Face' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005. LITERARY DEVICES 1. PERSONIFICATION
Lines 4, 6-7: The love interest's eyes constantly accuses and convicts the persona. This device highlights the extent to which the persona has hurt this person. Lines 18-20: The persona hopes that his country, his other dearest love, will forgive him for the treasonous act of loving another. This highlights the patriotism that defines the persona's relationship to his country.
2. OXYMORON
The term heart's-treachery implies that the heart, something so vital and indicative of love, has committed a terrible crime. It highlights the heartbreak that the persona has caused his love interest. IMPORTANT WORD/ PHRASES 3. 'constant image' This implies that the persona constantly, or always, remembers his love interest's face. It emphasizes the guilt he feels in relation to this person. 4. 'grave attention' The love interest's eyes display grave attention. The word grave implies intensely serious, so this person is truly hurt. 5. 'world of knives' A knife inflicts pain and destroys. The persona, therefore, is identifying his world with causing pain. 6. 'such blackmail with your beauty' To blackmail someone is to have something over them that puts their will in your control. The love interest's beauty has captivated the persona in such a way that he betrays his country with this person. MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE The mood of the poem is reflective. The persona is thinking about his two loves and how he is torn between them. TONE The tone of the poem is sadness and guilt. The persona is guilt ridden over this love triangle and sadness permeates the words that he uses to describe it. THEMATIC CATEGORY Love, guilt, patriotism, places, desires/ dreams
Le Loupgarou - Literature Notes The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text. A 5.curious 1.tale that threaded through town Through greying women sewing under eaves, Was how his greed had brought old Le Brun down, 1.greeted by slowly shutting jalouses When he approached them in 6.white linenlinen suit, Pink glasses, cork hat and 2.tap-tapping cane, 3.A dying man licensed to sell sick fruit, Ruined by fiends with whom he'd made a bargain. It seems one night, these 4.Christian witches said, He changed himself into an 7.Alsatian hound, A slathering lycenthrope, hot on a scent, 1.But his own watchman dealt the thing a wound Which howled and lugged its entrails, trailing wet With blood back to its doorstep, almost dead.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others. LITERAL MEANING This poem tells the tale of old LeBrun, a man that was rumoured by the townspeople to be a loupgarou. Old women would relax under eaves and gossip about Le Brun, while literally shutting him out of their lives with their closing windows. The prevailing gossip, in this poem, is that he transformed into a hound one night, but was dealt a wound by his own watchman. He then lugged his entrails back to his doorstep, almost dead.
Walcott, D. 'Le Loupgarou' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005. LITERARY DEVICES 1. ALLITERATION
Lines 1-3: This alliteration gives the reader a visual imagery of the manner in which the gossip about Le Brun spread. A thread is thin and fine and can weave itself in any crevice, sometimes in a very non-linear and sinuous manner. This describes the way in which the gossip spread. It managed to touch the whole village in an almost insiduous, and complete, manner. Line 5: This literary device speaks to the results of the gossip. Le Brun is alienated from the people of the town. Their fascination with him, however, is evident by the fact that they slowly shut their jalouses/windows. The lack of speed implies that they are watching him, while also alienating him. Lines 17-21: This alliteration highlights the severity of the loupgarou's injuries. You can almost see and hear the wetness of the blood, as well as see the entrails trailing wet through the use of this device.
2. ONOMATOPOEIA The tap-tapping cane is a part of Le Brun's physical description. He appears to stand out, in terms of his physical appearance, down to the use of his cane. 3. PARADOX This statement appears nonsensical at first, but actually makes sense in the long run. The loupgarou is, in fact, a man who is leading a half life as man and beast, so he is not really 'living'. The fact that he can pass on the 'gift' of becoming a werewolf clarifies the fact that Le Brun is actually 'licensed to sell sick fruit', or pass on his sick 'gift'. 4. OXYMORON The words 'Christian' and 'witches', placed together, emphasizes the dual nature of the women in the village. They are good Christian women who mean no harm, but their fear of the 'difference' that they sense in Le Brun (contributed by his mode of dress), leads them to react in an unchristian manner, like witches, in dealing with him. * IRONY It is ironic that Le Brun's own watchman dealt him a lethal blow. IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 5.curious This word emphasizes the strangeness of the story that is circulated about Le Brun. 6.white linen-linen suit, pink glasses, cork hat (and cane) This outfit would let anyone be seen in a crowd, or other wise. It emphasizes Le Brun's difference , hence, one of the reasons that he would be the focus of gossip. Imagine an individual dressed in the combination below: 7.Alsatian hound, a slathering lycenthrope This description of Le Brun displays the distaste that is felt towards him in his animal form. MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE The mood of the poem is reflective. TONE The tone of the poem is calm and reflective. The persona appears to be simply recounting a piece of gossip. THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION Supernatural
Once Upon A Time - Literature Notes. The physical structure of this poem has been This is the OPINION of one individual, altered from the original layout in the text. which might not coincide with the views of others. 3.Once upon a time, son, they used to laugh with their hearts LITERAL MEANING and laugh with their eyes; A father is talking to his son and telling him but now 4.they only laugh with their teeth, how things used to be. The father tells his son while 1.their ice-block eyes that people used to be sincere, but are now 5.search behind my shadow. superficial and seek only to take from others. The persona tells his son that he has learnt to There was a time indeed be just like these people, but he does not want they used to 6.shake hands with their hearts; to be. He wants to be as sincere as his son. but that's gone, son. Now they shake hands without hearts while their left 7.hands search LITERARY DEVICES my empty pockets. 1. METAPHOR The people's eyes are as cold as ice. This 'Feel at home'! 'Come again' ; means that there is no warmth or real feeling in they say, and when I come the words that they say, or how they again and feel behave.This metaphor literally allows you to at home, once, twice visualize a block of ice, cold and unwelcoming. there will be no thrice for then I find doors shut on me. 2. SIMILE So I have learnt many things, son. Stanza 4, lines 20-21 emphasizes the 2.I have learnt to wear many faces constant changes in the persona's face. like dresses - homeface, If you think of how often a woman officeface, streetface, hostface changes her dress, then that is how cocktail face, with all their 2.conforming often the persona adjusts his personality smiles like a fixed portrait smile. to suit the people around him. The list of faces that follow this line emphasizes And I have learned, too. this point. to laugh with only my teeth Stanza 4, lines 23-24 compares people's and shake hands without my heart faces to smiles in a portrait. If you think I have also learnt to say, 'Goodbye', about a portrait, it is usually very when I mean 'Good-riddance' ; formal and stiff, even uncomfortable. to say 'Glad to meet you', Therefore, the implication is that the without being glad; and to say 'It's been smiles are actually fake and stiff. They nice talking to you', after being bored. are conforming, or trying to fit, to a preconceived mold that is set up by But believe me, son. societal expectations. I want to be what I used to be when I was like you. I want
8.unlearn all these muting things. Most of all, I want to relearn how to laugh, for 2.my laugh in the mirror shows only my teeth like a snake's bare fangs! So show me, son, how to laugh; show me how I used to laugh and smile 3.once upon a time when I was like you. Okara, G. 'Once Upon A Time' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
Stanza 6, lines 38-40 compares the persona's laugh to a snakes. When you think of a snake, words such as sneaky and deceitful come to mind. Therefore, the implication is that the persona is fake, just like the people he despises.
3. REPETITION This phrase is repeated at the beginning and the end of the poem. This usually signals the beginning of a fairy tale. Therefore, it is implied that the persona is nostalgic about the past. IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 4.'they only laugh with their teeth' This emphasizes the insincerity of the people around the persona. To laugh with your teeth means that only the bottom half of your face is engaged, the laugh does not reach the eyes. 5. 'shake hands with their heart' To shake hands with your heart implies a strong handshake that is sincere, this is the opposite of what now occurs between people. 6. 'search behind my shadow' This implies that the person cannot look the persona in the eye, they are looking everywhere but there. Looking someone in the eye during a conversation implies that one is sincerely interested in what you have to say. Not being able to do so implies shiftiness. 7. 'hands search my empty pockets' People are only 'seemingly' nice to get something from you. So, they smile with you, but it is not sincere, they are seeking to get something from you. 8. 'unlearn all these muting things' The word mute means silence, think of what happens when you press the mute button on the TV remote. Therefore, there is an implication that the insincere actions that the persona describes are muting, they block, or silence, good intentions. Hence, the persona wants to 'unlearn' these habits. MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE
The mood of the poem is nostalgic. The persona is remembering how things used to be when he was young and innocent, like his son. TONE The tone of the poem is sad. The poet's response to his nostalgia is sadness. THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION Death, childhood experiences, hypocrasy, loss of innocence, desire/dreams. * It is IRONIC that the persona is behaving in the exact way that he despises. However, and there is an implication that things cannot go back to what he remembers, due to the influence of societal expectations.
Orchids - Literature Notes
The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text. I leave this house 3.box pieces of the five week life I've gathered. I'll send them on to fill spaces in my future life. One thing is left a spray of orchid someone gave 4.from bouquet one who makes a ritual of flower-giving sent. The orchids have no fragrance but purple petals draw you to look at the 2.purple heart. I watered them once when 1.the blossoms were full blown like polished poems. I was sure they'd wilt and I would toss them out with the five week litter.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others. LITERAL MEANING The persona is moving from a house that she has occupied for five weeks. She has sent her belongings to her future home, but one item remains in her old space, an orchid. The persona clarifies that she was given the orchid as a gift, but implies that it holds no value because the gifting of orchids is habitual for the person who gave her. She describes the flower as odourless, but attractive. She watered the orchid once, expecting it to die, but it survived. It not only survived, but bloomed. The persona contemplates plucking the bloom and pressing it between the pages of a book. The purpose of this is to allow her to appreciate the flower.
They were stubborn. I starved them. They would not die. This morning the bud at the stalk's tip 5.unfurled. I think I'll pluck the 6.full-blown blooms press them between 7.pages of memory. Perhaps in their thin dried transparency I'll discover their 8.peculiar poetry. Simmonds-McDonald, H. 'Orchids' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd,
LITERARY DEVICES 1. SIMILE The orchid's full blown blossoms are being compared to a polished poem. The word polished in this comparison implies perfection, shiny and pleasant to read.
2005. 2. PUN The purple heart literally refers to the splash of color in the center of the orchid's bloom, but it could also refer to the bravery of the flower. This is so because a purple heart, in the army, is a medal that a soldier receives for bravery. IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 3. 'box pieces' This phrase implies that the persona's life is literally in boxes, all her belongings are stored and ready to be moved. 4. 'from a bouquet one who makes a ritual of flower-giving sent.' This phrase implies that the persona places no value in the orchid because its giver gifted it without any sentiment attached. 5. 'unfurled' This word literally means to open. Therefore, despite the persona's attempts at killing the orchid, through starvation, it not only survived but flourished. 6. 'full-blown blooms' These full-blown blooms represent the flower at its peak, where it is most full of life, as well as where it is most usually appreciated. 7. 'pages of memory' This refers to the practice of placing a flower between the pages of a book, thereby drying, or killing the flower. The purpose of this act is to keep the flower for nostalgic reasons. 8. 'peculiar poetry' This phrase highlights the persona's desire to discover the value in the flower. It is very IRONIC, however, that she would choose to kill it in order to achieve this goal. Usually people place value in a living flower that can give pleasure through its beauty. MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE The mood of the poem is pensive, or thoughtful. The persona is thinking about the lack of value that she places in the orchid. TONE The tone of the poem is one of almost bored musing. THEMATIC CATEGORY Death, nature, survival, desire/ dreams.
Sonnet Composed Upon A Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802 The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text. Earth has not anything to show more 4.fair: Dull would he be of soul who could pass by A sight so touching in its 5.majesty: 1.This City now doth, like a garment, wear The beauty of the morning; silent, bare, Ships, towers, domes, theatres and temples Lie open upon the fields, and to the sky; All bright and glittering in the smokeless air. 2.Never did sun more beautifully 6.steep In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill; Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep! 3.The river glideth at his own steep will: Dear God! 4.the very houses seem asleep; And all that mighty heart is lying still!
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others. LITERAL MEANING The persona in this poem is reflecting on the perfection of the city. He believes that there is nothing on Earth so beautiful as the city in the morning. Only a dull person would not appreciate such a majestic sight. He is awed by the calm of the city.
Wordsworth, W. 'Sonnet Composed Upon A Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005. LITERARY DEVICES 1. SIMILE The persona compares the manner in which the beauty of the morning settles over the city, to that of a garment on a body. This emphasizes the perfection of the beauty of the morning, just as a garment flows smoothly over a body. 2. PERSONIFICATION
Lines 9-10: The sun is referred to as a male who rises sharply and beautifully. This emphasizes the beauty of the city in the morning. The use of this personification also helps the reader to personalize this beauty. Line 12: Like the sun, the river is personalized as well. This allows the reader to see the river as real, instead of a thing. It comes alive and we can visualize it's movement, gliding, as beautiful. Line 13: When some-one is asleep, they are usually peaceful. Therefore, when the persona describes the houses as sleeping, he is emphasizing the peace that exists in the
city in the morning. The inhabitants of the houses are asleep, therefore the houses are quiet and peaceful.
IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 4. 'fair' The word fair, in this context, literally means beautiful. The persona is setting the stage for the reader, introducing the fact that the city is beautiful. 5. 'majesty' This word implies that the city is regal in it's splendour. Therefore, it is beyond beautiful and has become stately. 6. 'steep' This word describes the way in which the sun ascends into the sky. It is stressed that it does so in a beautiful manner. MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE The mood of the poem is pensive, or thoughtful. The persona is expressing his thoughts, and reaction to, the city in the morning. TONE The tone of the poem is one of awe. THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION Nature, places.
South - Literature Notes The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others.
1.But today I 4.recapture the islands bright beaches: blue mist from the ocean rolling into the fishermen's houses. 1.By these shores I was born: sound of the sea came in at my window,2. life heaved and breathed in me then with the strength of that turbulent soil.
LITERAL MEANING The persona speaks about the fact that today he is recapturing the beauty of the island of his birth. He reflects on the fact that he has travelled to the lands of the north, which appeared to be the very opposite of his island. The persona appeared, at that point, to be homesick for his island and resented the ease and comfort that the Northerners' felt towards their land. He then shifts back to the present where he appreciates certain features of the island, particularly those that remind him of his past on the island.
5.Since then I have travelled: moved far from the beaches: 6.sojourned in stoniest cities, walking the lands of the north 1.In sharp, slanting sleet and the hail, crossed countless saltless savannas and come to this house in the forest 2.where the shadows oppress me and the only water is rain and the tepid taste of the river. 7.We who are born of the ocean can never seek solace in rivers: 3.their flowing runs on like our longing, 8.reproves us our lack of endeavour and purpose, 9.proves that our striving will founder on that. We resent them this wisdom, this freedom: passing us toiling, waiting and watching their cunning declensions down to the sea. Bright waves splash up from the rocks to refresh us, 1.blue sea-shells shift in their wake and 10.there is the thatch of the fishermen's houses, the path made of pebbles, 11.and look! Small urchins combing the beaches look up from their traps to salute us:
LITERARY DEVICES 1. ALLITERATION
Stanza 1, lines 1-2: The sound that the alliteration illicits, when spoken, is a positive one. This is the case because the alliteration forces the reader to sound cheerful, thereby facilitating the interpretation that the persona is happy to be home. Stanza 1, lines 4-5: This alliteration, again, draws the reader through the sound that it illicits. One can almost hear the sound that the sea makes through the repetition of the 's' sound. It emphasizes the joy that the persona feels to be home. Stanza 2, lines 13-14: This alliteration, when spoken, is staccato. It literally emphasizes the persona's discomfort, and dislike, of the new context that he is faced with. It is alien to him, as seen when contrasted with
they remember us just as we left them.
the scene that he describes in the first stanza.
The fisherman, hawking the surf on this side of the reef, stands up in his boat and halloos us: a starfish lies in its pool. 1.And gulls, white sails slanted seaward, fly into limitless morning before us. Brathwaite, K. 'South' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
Stanza 4, line 33: This device gives the reader a visual image of the scene. It is simple image that highlights the persona's excitement at being home and seeing scenes, even seemingly inconsequential ones, that he knows and loves. Stanza 5, line 43: This alliteration gives the reader a visual of what the persona sees as pleasant and calming, as opposed to the alliteration in stanza 2. The sound that the alliteration illicits is a calm one, implying that the persona is at peace.
2.PERSONIFICATION
Stanza 1, lines 6-7: This device gives a beautiful impression of the effect that the island had on the persona. He felt whole when he was there, at peace. Stanza 2, lines 16-17: The shadows, in this context, represents his past life and experiences on the island. The memories of his island illicits feelings of sadness, even homesickness. These memories cast an oppressive shadow over his life in the north.
3.SIMILE The persona compares the flowing of the rivers, which represents the north, to his longing for his island home. This comparison indicates that his longing is an intense one, he is homesick. IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 4.'recapture' The word capture means to take possession of something or someone. Therefore, when the persona says that he is recapturing his island, it implies that he is taking back possession of what he once owned. 5.'Since then I have travelled' This line indicates that the persona did not remain on the island of his birth. 6.'sojourned in stoniest cities' This highlights a contrast between the persona's island and the cities that he visited. His island has beaches and oceans, while the cities that he visited were concrete jungles made of stone. 7.'We who are born of the ocean can never seek solace in rivers'
The persona refers to the north, and its populace, as rivers, while the south, and his island, is the ocean. This line highlights the persona's discontent in the north. 8.'reproves us our lack of endeavour and purpose' Reprove is to reprimand. Therefore, the line is saying that the flowing river, the north, reprimands the ocean, the south, for its lack of effort and resolve. This implies that the persona might be homesick and, therefore, not functioning at full capacity in the new northern environment. 9.'proves that our striving will founder on that.' The term founder literally means the owner or operator of a foundry. This has little to do with the context of the poem, therefore, it can be assumed that poetic license was utilized at this point. Contextually, the line can be interpreted as meaning that the persona's subsequent striving, or efforts, will be founded on the reprimand made by the river, or the north. 10.'there' The emphasis placed on this word, through the use of italics, highlights the fact that the persona is both happy and excited to be home. 11.'and look!' The exclamation mark emphasizes the persona's enthusiasm, and excitement, when he identifies a scene that is reminiscent of his past. MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE The mood of the poem is reflective. The persona is thinking about his island home, as well as places that he has visited in the north. TONE The tone of the poem goes from being reflective, to being elated. THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION Patriotism, places, desires and dreams
Test Match Sabina Park - Literature Notes The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text. Proudly wearing the 4.rosette of my skin I 5.strut into Sabina 3.England boycotting excitement bravely, 6.something badly amiss. Cricket. Not the game they play at Lords, the crowd - 1.whoever saw a crowd at a cricket match? - are caged 7.vociferous partisans, quick to take offence. 8.England sixty eight for none at lunch. 1.'What sort o battin dat man? dem kaaan play cricket again, praps dem should-a-borrow 2.Lawrence Rowe!' And on it goes, 9.the wicket slow as the batting and the crowd restless. 1.'Eh white bwoy, how you brudders dem does sen we sleep so? Me a pay monies fe watch dis foolishness? Cho! So I try to explain in my Hampshire drawl about conditions in Kent, about 10.sticky wickets and muggy days and the monsoon season in Manchester but fail to convince even myself. The crowd's 11.loud 'busin drives me out 12.skulking behind a tarnished rosette somewhat frayed now but unable, quite, to conceal a 13.blushing nationality. Brown, S. 'Test Match Sabina Park' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others. The persona, a white male, proudly enters Sabina Park to watch a cricket match between England and the West Indies. The persona notices that the game is slow and that the crowd is not reacting well. He is, in fact, initially shocked that there is a crowd at all because this is usually not the case at Lords. By lunch, England is sixty eight for none, and the crowd gets abusive. They even state that maybe they should borrow Lawrence Rowe. The persona tries to explain the reason behind the slow pace of the British side, but fails to convince even himself. His embarrassment at England's performance has him eventually skulking out of the venue.
LITERARY DEVICES 1. RHETORICAL QUESTION
Stanza 2, lines 6-7: This question reveals that, despite the fact that cricket is a popular sport in England, the venues for the matches are not crowded. This question could also point to the fact that Sabina Park was very crowded.
Stanza 3, line 10: This question represents the general frustration of the West Indians in the crowd. They are annoyed that the cricket match is progressing so slowly. Stanza 4, lines 16-18: These questions imply that the West Indian crowd's level of frustration has escalated.
2. ALLUSION The allusion to Lawrence Rowe, a very colourful and successful West Indian cricketer, emphasizes the fact that the match is slow and boring. 3. SARCASM To 'boycott' is to abstain from, or to stop, doing something. Therefore, the persona is being sarcastic because excitement is a good thing. People usually boycott for something negative, therefore the persona is, again, highlighting the slow and boring pace of the cricket match. IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 4.'rosette of my skin' Rosette implies a reddish colour, or tint, to the skin, that sometimes resembles a rose. This description immediately identifies the race of the persona as caucasian. The persona is proud of his race, as he enters Sabina Park. 5.'strut 'This word means to walk proudly. It emphasizes the fact that the persona is proudly walking into Sabina Park. 6.'something badly amiss' The persona is jolted by the fact that the match is going slowly. The word 'amiss' implies wrong, the game should not be going so slowly. 7.'vociferous partisans' Vociferous means to be very noisy and clamorous, while patisan is a person who shows biased, emotional allegiance. Therefore, the West Indian crowd was extremely noisy in their support of their team. They were also very unappreciative of the slow pace of the match. 8.'England sixty eight for none at lunch' While this is a good score, it never-the-less highlights the slowness of the match, hence the fact that the experience, for the crowd, was far from exciting. 9.'the wicket slow' The purpose of the wicket is to 'out' the opposing side. Therefore, no 'outing' is occurring, the wickets are standing. Everything about the match is going slowly. 10.'sticky wickets' This implies a sticky, or awkward situation. It highlights England's situation. 11.'loud 'busin' The English team was being loudly abused. 12.'skulking behind a tarnished rosette' Skulking implies hiding in shame, and tarnished means tainted. Therefore, the proud Englishman is now embarrassed, and the rosette of his skin is making him stand out. Initially this was a very good thing, but now it is a disadvantage. 13.'blushing nationality'. At this point, the Englishman admits to being embarrassed for his team, as well as himself.
*There is a distinct CONTRAST between the beginning of the poem when the persona is proud, and 'struts'. However, by the end of the poem, he is embarrassed and 'skulking' VOICES There are two distinct voices in this poem. The English man's and the West Indian's. MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE The mood of the poem is tense. TONE The tone of the poem is one of frustration (West Indian) and embarrassment (English man). THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION Discrimination, places, culture and sports
The Woman Speaks to the Man Who Has Employed Her Son The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others.
Her son was first known to her as a sense of unease, 5.a need to cry for little reasons and a metallic tide rising in her mouth each morning. Such signs made her know that she was not alone in her body. She carried him 6.full term 7.tight up under her heart.
LITERAL MEANING The persona in this poem is telling the story of a mother who loved her son. The mother became aware of the child's presence when she experienced morning sickness. She placed all her hopes in the child and raised him as a single parent because his father was indifferent to the child's existence. The mother had set no barriers on what the child could become, but is told that he has an employer who values him so much that he is given his own submarine gun. The son tells his mother that his employer is like a father to him, but the mother wonders at the father figure who purposefully endangers his child. She prepares for her son's death by going downtown to buy funeral apparel. The mother feels powerless, so she prays for her child and says protective psalms for him. On the other hand, she reads psalms of retribution for the employer and weeps for her son. Her situation does not look good and is likened to a partner system in which she draws both the first and the last hand.
1.She carried him like the poor carry hope, hope you get a break or a visa, hope one child go through and remember you. He had no father. The man she made him with had more like him, 2.he was fair-minded he treated all his children with equal and unbiased indifference. She raised him twice, once as mother then as father, 8.set no ceiling on what he could be doctor earth healer, pilot take wings. But now he tells her is working for you, 3.that you value him so much you give him one whole submachine gun for him alone. He says 1.you are like a father to him she is wondering what kind of father would 4.give a son hot and exploding death, when he asks him for bread. She went downtown and bought three and one-third yard of black cloth and a deep crowned and veiled hat for the day he draw 9.his bloody salary. She has no power over you and this
LITERARY DEVICES 1. SIMILE
Lines 1-2: The persona emphasizes that the mother placed all her hopes in her son. When you are poor, generally, you have no prospects, you only dream and hope. Therefore, the persona uses this metaphor to emphasize the mother's dependence
at 10.the level of earth, what she has are prayers and a mother's tears and at 11.knee city she uses them. 4.She says psalms for him she reads psalms for you she weeps for his soul her 12.eyewater covers you.
on her son's success. Line 17: The employer is being compared to a father figure. This implies that this person fills a gap in the son's life.
She is throwing a 13.partner with 4.Judas Iscariot's mother the thief on the left hand side of the cross, his mother is the 14.banker, 15.her draw though is first and last for she still throwing two hands as mother and father. She is prepared, she is done.4.Absalom. Goodison, L. 'The Woman Speaks to the Man Who Has Employed Her Son' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005 2. SARCASM The persona appears to praise the child's father by referring to him as 'fair-minded'. She is, however, chastising him for not only ignoring his son, but all of his other children. 3. IRONY (situational) The son innocently tells his mother that his employer values him so much that he gave him a whole submachine gun for himself. The irony in this situation is that if you really care about someone, you do NOT give them a gun due to the negative results that are bound to occur. 4. ALLUSION (biblical)
Lines 28-29: This line alludes to a particular verse in the Christian Bible, Luke 11 vs 11. The verse questions what the actions of a good father should be.
Lines 38-39: Psalms is a particular chapter in the Christian Bible. In this chapter there are verses for protection, the mother uses those for her son, as well as verses for retribution and rebuking. It is implied that the mother chooses those for the employer. Lines 43-45: In the Christian Bible, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus. Therefore, it does not bode well for the mother if she is in a 'partnership' with this person's mother because she might also be betrayed. The banker in the 'partnership' also happens to be the thief on the left hand side of the cross' mother. This also does not bode well for the mother if the apple does not fall far from the tree.
Line 49: Absalom is the son of David, in the Christian Bible. Absalom betrayed his father, which implies that the mother feels betrayed by her son because she has placed all her hopes in him.
IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 5. 'a need to cry for little reasons and a metallic tide rising in her mouth each morning.' These two symptoms are early signs of pregnancy. The metallic tide refers to vomiting. These signs usually occur in the first trimester of pregnancy. 6. 'full term' This means that the mother carried her son for the full nine months that a pregnancy should last. 7. 'tight up under her heart' This hints at the love that the mother harbours for her child. He was not simply 'close to her heart', but 'tight up' under it. It implies that the son holds a special place in her heart. 8. 'set no ceiling' A ceiling is something that blocks you in, you cannot get past it. The mother set no limits on her son, he could be anything he wanted to be. 9. 'his bloody salary' This implies that the mother believes that the result of the son's 'job' will be death. 10. 'the level of earth' The mother has no power to change her son's situation. Earth is used to emphasize her powerlessness on this level, the realm of 'reality'. 11. 'knee city' This refers to the fact that the mother constantly prayed for her child. 12. 'eye water covers you' This implies that the mother cried constantly for the plight of her son. The fact that it 'covers him' speaks to the high quantity of tears that were shed. 13. 'partner' This is an informal saving scheme set up with a specific number of individuals for the duration of a specific time span. Each person agrees to pay a designated figure on a monthly basis. The 'draws' are decided, meaning who gets the money first, second, third etc, on a monthly basis.The banker then collects the money and gives the monthly pool to the person who is to receive their 'draw'. Therefore, a 'partnership' is dependent upon the honesty of the banker, who could abscond with the money, as well as the honesty of the members of the savings scheme, who could decide NOT to pay after they have received their draw. 14. 'banker' The banker, or financial controller, of this partnership is the mother of a thief. This does not bode well for the mother if the thief on the cross learnt it from his mother. 15. 'her draw though is first and last for she still throwing two hands as mother and father'. This statement implies that though the mother has the advantage of first draw as mother, she loses that advantage because she also has the role of father. Mothers cannot father sons. The fact that the son has found a father figure proves this to be true. Therefore, she has the last draw, which carries with it the disadvantage of not receiving a full 'draw'. The longer one waits for a draw is the more likely that dishonesty will come into play on the part of the participants. MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE
The mood of the poem is reflective. The persona is thinking about a mother's response to her son's life choices. TONE The tone of the poem is pragmatic and pessimistic. The persona is telling the tale as it is, with no positive energy. THEMATIC CATEGORY Death, love, survival, desires/ dreams, childhood experiences.
Theme For English B - Literature Notes The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others.
The instructor said,
LITERAL MEANING The persona's lecturer gave him an assignment to write a page that reflects 'him', or his character. The persona wonders if this is a simple task, and begins to think about his life. Things like his age, place of birth, race and place of residence. Based on these musings, he surmises that he is confused due to his youth. He guesses that he is what he feels, sees and hears, which is Harlem, New York. He continues his musing about what he likes, and concludes that he likes the same things that people of other races like. On this basis, he questions whether or not his page will be influenced by race. He concludes that it will not be white. He admits that his instructor, as well as the fact that this instructor is white, will have some influence on his page. He states that they both influence each other, that is what being American is about. He believes that both of them might not want to influence each other, but it cannot be helped. He concludes that both of them will learn from each other, despite the fact that the instructor has the advantage of being older, white and 'more free'. All of these musings and conclusions become his page for English B.
Go home and write a page tonight. And let that page come out of you Then it will be true. 1.I wonder if it's that simple? I am twenty-two, colored, born in WinstonSalem. 3.I went to school there, then Durham, then here to this college on the hill above Harlem. I am the only colored student in the class. The steps from the hill lead down into Harlem, through a park, then I cross St. Nicholas, Eighth Avenue, Seventh, and I come to the Y, the Harlem Branch Y, where I take the elevator up to my room, sit down, and write this page: It's not easy to know what is true for you or me at twenty-two, my age. But I guess I'm what I feel and see and hear, Harlem, 2.I hear you: hear you, hear me - we too - you, me, talk on this page. (I hear New York, too.) 1.Me - who? Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love. I like to work, read, learn, and understand life. I like a pipe for a Christmas present, or records - Bessie, bop, or Bach. I guess being colored doesn't make me not like the same things other folks like who are other races. 1.So will my page be colored that I write? Being me, it will not be white.
LITERARY DEVICES 1.RHETORICAL QUESTION
Stanza 2, line 6: The persona ponders the ease of what he is asked to do. This question, in turn, actually
4.But it will be a part of you, instructor. You are white yet a part of me, as I am a part of you. That's American. Sometimes perhaps you don't want to be a part of me. Nor do I often want to be a part of you. But we are, that's true! 5.As I learn from you, I guess you learn from me although you're older - and white and somewhat more free.
highlights the difficult nature of the task. Stanza 3, line24: This question highlights the persona's confusion as to who he is, or his character. He is unsure. Stanza 4, line 32: The persona is wondering whether his race will affect what he writes on the page. This is despite the fact that he concludes that race does not hinder people, in general, liking the same things.
This is my page for English B. Hughs, L. 'Theme For English B' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005. 2. REPETITION This repetition emphasizes the profound impact that Harlem, New York, has had on the personality of the persona. IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 4.'But it will be a part of you, instructor. You are white - yet a part of me, as I am a part of you.That's American.' This statement reveals the fact that America is viewed as a melting pot by the persona. He believes that different races and cultures influence each other, thereby forming the term 'American' 5.As I learn from you, I guess you learn from me - although you're older - and white - and somewhat more free. This statement, by the persona, repeats his belief that the American society is a melting pot. It also, however, states that not every-one is equal within this society. * It is interesting to note that the persona's 'page for English B' becomes a journey of self discovery that actually does not end. He forms no conclusion as to who he is because his personality is still 'in process' MOOD/ ATMOSPHEREThe mood of the poem is reflective. TONE The tone of the poem is also reflective.
THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION Racism, places
West Indies, U.S.A - Literature Notes The physical structure of this poem has been altered from the original layout in the text. This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of Cruising at thirty thousand feet above the others. endless green 1.the island seems like dice tossed on a casino's baize, some come up LITERAL MEANING lucky, others not. Puerto Rico takes the pot, The persona is travelling in a plane, looking 2.the Dallas of the West Indies, 2.silver linings down at San Juan, Puerto Rico, as the plane on the clouds as we descend are hall-marked, descends. He is saying that this island is the 1.San Juan glitters like a maverick's gold ring. wealthiest in the Caribbean because it has won All across the Caribbean the jackpot, it has come up lucky. He then we'd collected terminals - 1.airports are like points out that he, and others, had travelled to calling cards, cultural fingerprints; the hand many Caribbean islands and received a hint of written signs at Port-au-Prince, Piarco's sleazy the flavour of each island through it's calling tourist art, the lethargic contempt of the card, - its airport - all of which fail when baggage boys at 'Vere Bird' in St. Johns .... compared to plush San Juan. As they land, they And now for 4.plush San Juan. are instructed to stay on the plane if their But the pilot's bland destination is not San Juan. The persona takes you're safe in my hands drawl crackles as we offence and states that America does not want land, 'US regulations demand all passengers blacks in San Juan, implying that they might be not disembarking at San Juan stay on the plane, a disruptive force. He notes the efficiency with I repeat, stay on the plane.' 3.Subtle Uncle which things flow, enabling them to take to the Sam, afraid too many 5.desperate blacks might skies once more. During the ascent, the persona re-enslave this Island of the free, might jump notes the contrast between the influences of the the barbed Caribbean and America. He likens San-Juan to electric fence around a broken TV, it Iooks good on the outside, but 6.'America's back yard' and claim that vaunted broken on the inside. sanctuary ..... 3. 'give me your poor .....' Through toughened, tinted glass 7.the contrasts tantalise; US patrol cars glide across the LITERARY DEVICES shimmering tarmac, containered baggage trucks unload with 8.fierce efficiency. So soon 1. SIMILE we're climbing, Line 2: Puerto Rico is compared to dice low above the pulsing that is tossed on a casino's baize, it can city streets; galvanized shanties overseen by either come up with winning numbers, condominiums polished Cadillacs shimmying or losing numbers. Puerto Rico comes with pushcarts and as we climb, San-Juan's up with winning numbers in the game 9.fools-glitter calls to mind the shattered of chance, as reflected in its wealthy innards of a TV set that's fallen off the back of exterior, which is supported by a lorry, all painted valves and circuits 1.the America. road like twisted wires, the bright cars, microchips. 10.It's sharp and jagged and dangerous,
and belonged to some-one else. Brown, S. 'West Indies, U.S.A' in A World of Prose. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
Lines 7-8: San Juan's glitter is compared to a maverick's gold ring. The word maverick implies non-conformist, an individualist. This implies that San Juan, Puerto Rico is in the Caribbean, but not a part of the Caribbean. It belongs to America. Lines 10-11: Airports are compared to calling cards. This means that, like a calling card, the quality of the airport gives you an idea of the island's economic status. The airport is also compared to a cultural fingerprint. A fingerprint is an individual thing, therefore the airport gives the traveler an idea of the island's cultural landscape. Line 39: The road is compared to twisted wires. This means that the roads, from above, look both plentiful and curvy. This does not carry a positive connotation, but implies confusion.
2. ALLUSION
Line 5: Dallas is an oil rich state in America. Therefore, many of its inhabitants are wealthy, and the state itself, is wealthy. By stating that San Juan is the Dallas of the West Indies, it implies that it is a wealthy island in the West Indies. Lines 5-7: An allusion is being made to the well known cliche; 'every cloud has a silver lining'. It means that behind everything that is seemingly bad, there is good. In the context of this poem, it means that the good, the silver lining, has a mark, or stamp, that authenticates its good quality; it is hallmarked. This implies that it will always have its silver lining showing.
3. SARCASM
Line 20: This statement means the exact opposite of what is stated. The persona is disgusted that Uncle Sam (America) would have such a regulation. This regulation bars anyone from stepping a toe on Puerto Rican soil, if it is not your intended destination. You just have to remain in the air craft, no matter the waiting period, until it is time for takeoff. The persona believes that the Americans are being blatantly discriminatory, and are attempting to camouflage it through the use of regulations. He does not believe that they have achieved their goal of subtlety. Line 26: The persona implies that America is all talk and no action. They really do not want the poor because they bar them from entering and expediently sends them on their way when they enter their airport. The statement is sarcastic because it is loaded with an alternate meaning, due to the contrast in statement and action.
IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES 4. 'plush' This word implies soft, like a teddy bear. It also implies luxury. So San Juan is all of these things. 5.'desperate blacks might re-enslave this Island of the free' These 'desperate blacks' to whom the persona is referring are the poor people of the Caribbean. If they converge on the glistening San Juan, sucking up its resources, then it might become reenslaved by poverty. 6.'America's back yard' A backyard means one of two things for people. It is a haven where you relax, therefore you decorate it and invest time and money in it. Or, you ignore it and spend all your time indoors, not investing any time, energy or money in it. America viewed Puerto Rico as the latter, a prize in which it saw value. Therefore, when the persona uses this phrase, he is implying that while it is valued, it is still at the back. Slight sarcasm is being used here. 7.'the contrasts tantalise' When something, or someone, is tantalising, it implies that it is intriguing. The persona, by using this phrase, is trying to draw the readers attention to to the jarring contrasts by stating that he finds them intriguing. 8.'fierce efficiency' The word fierce, used to describe the level of efficiency with which the people worked to get the plane off the ground, shows the extent to which they were not wanted on the island. 9.'fools-glitter' This implies that the flashiness of San Juan was not authentic. 10.'It's sharp and jagged and dangerous, and belonged to some-one else.' This implies that San Juan is not safe. The cultures are not melding, but jarring against each other. The reason for this is because it belongs to someone else. CONTRAST The contrast in this poem is found in stanza 5. The American cars etc, against the pushcarts. The American culture versus the Puerto Rican culture. MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE The mood of the poem is sarcastic. TONE The tone of the poem is slightly bitter, which is fueled by the sarcastic atmosphere. THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION Discrimination, oppression, places, culture.
Ballad of Birmingham - Literature Notes 'Mother dear, may I go downtown instead of out to play, 1.and march the streets of Birmingham in a freedom march today? 1.'No, baby, no, you may not go, for the dogs are fierce and wild, and clubs and hoses, guns and jails ain't good for a little child.' 'But mother, I won't be alone. Other children will go with me, 1.and march the streets of Birmingham to make our country free.' 1.'No baby, no, you may not go, for I fear those guns will fire. But you may go to church instead, and sing in the children's choir.' She has combed and brushed 2. her night dark hair, and 2. bathed rose petal sweet, and drawn white gloves on her small brown hands, and white shoes on her feet. The mother smiled to know her child was in the sacred place, but that smile was the last smile to come upon her face.
This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others. LITERAL MEANING The poem is about about a mother who loses her child. The child made a request to attend a freedom march through the streets of Birmingham, but the mother said no. She feared the many violent things that could befall her child in this setting. She, however, agreed that the child could attend church. She was content with the knowledge that her child was safely at church, until an explosion saw her racing through the streets of Birmingham to find her child. She did not find her, but instead, found a foot of shoe in the rubble. LITERARY DEVICES 1. REPETITION
For when she heard the explosion, her eyes grew 4.wet and wild. She 5.raced through the streets of Birmingham calling for her child. She 6. clawed through bits of glass and brick, then lifted out a shoe. 'O, here's the shoe my baby wore, but, baby, where are you? Dudley Randall, A World of Poetry (2005)
The purpose of the child's repetition of where she wants to go and why, is to contextualize the poem. The reader is made aware that the poem is set in Birmingham during the civil rights movement. The repetition is for emphasis of this fact. The mothers repetition of no, highlights her fear of the harmful things that could happen to her child. Note that after each no, she lists possible harmful things that could occur if the child goes on the freedom march.
2. METAPHOR
The comparison of the darkness of the child's hair to night is purely to emphasize how black the persona's daughters hair is. The comparison of her sweet smell, after her bath, emphasizes the
care that went into preparing the child for church. She did not send her child out into the world with an uncaring touch.
3. IRONY (situational) The overwhelming irony that exists in this poem is the fact that the mother was so adamant about NOT sending her child to the freedom march, because she considered it to be so dangerous. Yet it is while in church, the place that she thought was sacred and safe, that the child got killed. IMPORTANT WORDS / PHRASES 4. wet and wild: This tells the readers that the mother was crying when she heard the explosion, while the term wild points to the panic that overtakes the mother. Her love for her child is emphasized in these two words. 5. raced: The mother ran very quickly down the streets of Birmingham. This emphasizes her panic, and in turn, the great love that she felt for her child. 6. clawed: This word is striking in its intensity. It means that she did not simply remove the rubble, but did so with a desperation that highlights the love that she has for her child. THEME Death is the overwhelming theme in this poem. A mother's over protectiveness does not, and seemingly cannot, prevent this tragic event from occurring.
The Lynching - Literature Notes This is the OPINION of one individual, which might not coincide with the views of others. His spirit in smoke ascended to high heaven. 1.His father, by the cruellest way of pain, Had bidden him to his bosom once again; The 3.awful sin remained still unforgiven. 1.All night a bright and solitary star (Perchance the one that ever guided him, Yet gave him up at last to Fate's wild whim) Hung pitifully o'er the swinging 4.char. Day dawned, and soon the 5.mixed crowds came to view The 6.ghastly body swaying in the sun: The women thronged to look, but never a one 2.Showed sorrow in her eyes of 7.steely blue; And little lads, lynchers that were to be, Danced round the dreadful thing in 8.fiendish glee. Claude McKay, A World of Poetry (2005)
LITERAL MEANING The poem is about a black male who has been lynched. The morning brings with it spectators that have come to see the body. These are women and children who show no remorse for the scene before them. LITERARY DEVICES 1. ALLUSION
This alludes to the death of the individual, presumably a Black person, who is now in heaven. This seen in the reference to being bidden, or called, to his father's 'bosom'. This star alludes to the one that guided the three wise men to baby Jesus. In this context, it highlights that this star has, possibly, provided illumination in the night for the victim of the lynching, but also served to lead others to him as well.
2. ALLITERATION / METAPHOR
The alliteration serves the purpose of drawing the readers' eye to this particular passage in the poem. This line also doubles as a metaphor. In this case, the metaphor tells the reader that the woman is white, because blue eyes are a feature of the Caucasian race. It also highlights the level of racism in the society. This is the case because if women, who are suppose to be nurturing and caring, show steel (unfeeling, clinical) in their eyes, then it is an echo of the views of the society.
IMPORTANT WORDS / PHRASES 3. awful sin: This 'awful sin' refers to the state of being Black. This term serves to highlight that racism was the basis on which this individual was lynched. The use of the word awful also lends a sarcastic edge to the tone of the persona because it implies that colour is something that can be controlled, when that is not the case. people do awful acts, people cannot be awful based on race.
4. char This word implies that the body was blackened on the outside. This highlights the horrific pain that the person must have endured during the process of being lynched. 5. mixed crowds This tells the reader that different races were present to view the body after the event. 6.ghastly This word implies extreme disgust. The body is in a deplorable state that is not pleasing to the eye. A few synonyms for this word are: horror, fear, frightful, macabre. This emphasizes, or is the manifestation, of the level of hate that it takes to lynch some-one. 7. steely The root word in this context is steel. Characteristics of steel are hard and impersonal. Therefore, the eyes of the women, supposedly representative of soft and nurturing qualities, are, instead, impersonal and cold. 8. fiendish This literally means to be devilish, or intentionally cruel. The fact that children can dance around in this type of glee implies that innocence is lost. They, like the women, are steeped in the racist values of the society in which they live. THEME Racism The poem confronts a time in history when Black people were not viewed as human. On this premise, they could be lynched without it causing a ripple in the moral fiber of their society. The fact that women and children could view the charred remains with little or no feeling speaks volumes about the extent to which racist values were entrenched in the society.
