PRB #5- "The Chimney Sweeper"

An examination of poetic techniques used, such as rhyme, rhythm, simile, metaphor, personification, allusion, any type f figurative language, etc.

"The Chimney Sweeper"
William Blake

In the poem The Chimney Sweeper, many techniques are used to help the reader understand the poem in a deeper manner than the superficial words that can be read and forgotten.
The main focus of this particular poem is centered around a recounting of the narrator's coworkers, who is also a child's dream. The dream is cryptic in nature but upon further analyzation it becomes apparent that the dream is a dream that brings hope to the seemingly miserable lives of the chimney sweepers. The rhyme, found in couplets serves to reinforce the emotions that the narrator feels, and also how Tom feels and what her perceives to be happening in the dream he has. "When my mother died I was very YOUNG/ and my father sold me while yet my TONGUE/ Could scarcely cry " 'weep! 'weep! 'weep! 'WEEP!"/ So your chimneys I SWEEP and in soot I SLEEP." These couplets act together to form the emotion of the poem, even in this first stanza by introducing the heartache and beginning of the problem, and then developing through a sense of irony and sadness the harsh life that followed the initial selling of the boy into the sweeper business. Back to the dream, it acts as a metaphor that serves as hope to all of the men and children who are in the sweeper business, the times are tough but the dream that Tom has is a sign of better times to come. The angel represents a messenger from God, which opens the doors to their soot filled coffins, freeing them from the turmoil of their current state, giving Tom hope for a better future in the meantime.

The Lamb TPCASTT

Title: A poem possibly about Jesus Christ, the Lam of God, or a poem about the submissive and peaceful nature of the lamb itself

Paraphrase: Does the little lamb know who made it? The one who gave it life and feeds it. The one who leads it by the streams and over the meadows, gave it clothing of wool and a tender voice. The little lamb was made by one who calls Himself by the name of the Lamb, He is meek and mild, and came to earth as a child, both the sheep and myself are called by His name. God bless you little lamb.

Connotation: This poem is written as if it is a collection of questions, but the punctuation remains nonexistent of is only there in times of exclamation or definition or elaboration. The lamb is described, so it creates an image, and the lamb itself serves as a symbol for Jesus.

Attitude: The attitude is inquisitive and curious. It begins by asking questions and then answering them in later lines.

Shift: A shift occurs between the first and second stanza, the poem goes from being rhetorical questions to being a definite answer.

Title: The innocent little lamb was made by a Lamb, and all are called by His name.

Theme: No matter what type of lamb you are, you are called by the name of Jesus, the Lamb who was slain for our sins, showing gentleness and meekness of a child.

The Tyger TPCASTT

Title: A poem that is about a tiger, probably about its fierceness or determination

Paraphrase: The tiger is introduced with the tiger, asking who could have made it in all of its fierceness. Where did the fire in your eyes once burn, and who would dare have seized the fire. Who was the brave and creative thing that created the tiger? Could someone who made a lamb, peaceful and a good follower be made by the same being that created the tiger?

Connotation: Rhetorical questions are mainly used to express the curiosity of the speaker about the origin of the blueprint for the mighty tiger. Imagery is used to depict the details of the tiger while symbolism of fire is used to paint yet another picture of how the tiger's eyes appear.

Attitude: The attitude is inquisitive and reverent of the awe and ferocity of the tiger in all of its majesty and power and the being that could have though it up and created it.

Shift: Shifts occur from stanza to stanza of this poem, shifting from the eyes, to the heart, hands, and feet, to the brain, and then to the comparison of the lamb to the tiger and who created it also.

Title: A poem that accurately questions the origins of the traits of a tiger, from the small details to larger ones, including the source of inspiration that the creator went off of.

Theme: The inspiration and specifics of detail that go into creating something that creates such a sense of awe are only truly understood by the creator but freely questioned by any who look upon it.

My Last Duchess Discussion Questions and TPCASTT

*Note: I didn't notice that this one did not post when I posted all of my other assignments

 

 

1. To whom is the duke addressing his remarks about the duchess in this poem? What is ironic about the situation.

 

He is addressing some other man whose daughter will soon be the duke's to marry. The duke is acting as if his last wife passed by natural means and even goes as far as to present a portrait of the woman he killed to the father of the next suitor.

 

2. Why was the duke unhappy with his first wife? What does this reveal about him? What does the poem's title suggest about his attitude toward women in general?

 

She smiled at other men too much, and that being said, shows that he was insecure about his position and authority in the relationship. The title of the poem suggests that he objectifies women because it doesn't go far enough as to give his duchess, one whom he should have known intimately, a name.

 

3. What seems to be the visitor's response (lines 53-54) to the duke's account of his first wife?

 

One of almost silent reverence or boredom from the overwhelming complexity of a one sided discussion that the duke is giving.

 

Title: This poem, strictly basing the prediction on the title alone, would lead me to think that the person is an older man who has seen more than one wife and lost one for the last time. (Brief class discussion has opened my eyes to the true meaning a bit.)

Paraphrase: There is a painting of his Duchess on the wall, looking as if she was still there and alive. He considers the portrait more valuable to him now and the father's hands worked on theportrait busily, and the finished work stands where it is. The duke proceeds to almost demean the duchess's image and practically says that she was too easily impressed (as if she cheated on him). He then proceeds to inflate his family's name and implies that nothing, no gift is a worthy trade. It is eventually stated that Neptune tames the sea-horse, but he could not tame the duchess.

Connotation: The speaker uses imagery to paint a verbal picture to go along with the portrait he is presenting to the Duchess-to-be's father. The misleading language and inflated lie and deflated truths present in the poem suggest that he is being dishonest and misleading this new woman's father in order to make himself out to be a better man that he is. His false humility almost becoming comical at times when he clearly contradicts himself.

Attitude: The attitude of this poem is condescending toward the last Duchess, but very egotistical when it comes to the reader speaking of himself. He is full of himself and has a hard time staying consistent with his lies and exaggerations of alleged crimes the last duchess committed.

Shift: There are multiple shifts in this poem, the first being when the Duke goes from a passionate discussion about his wife's instances of being flirty and promiscuous, to being very authoritative a few lines later to then acknowledging again the fact that he could not tame the beast known as his wife.

Title: Not even given a name, it is representative of the overall lack of care that the speaker held for his last victim that he claims to have been something most likely far from anything he discusses, but since she is in the grave, her voice is silenced.

Theme: People will use any and all opportunities to impress people they find substantially important to their lives, and not everything that they say will be the complete truth or truth at all.

The Clod and the Pebble Discussion Questions and TPCASTT

Title: From the definition of clod I've heard used by my grandfather, I would assume that the poem is about a stupid person and a pebble, possibly comparing the two in a demeaning way and making both seem rudimentary.

Paraphrase: Love is not selfish, and it has no care for itself, it comforts and attends to others and creates an inviting situation in the midst of an otherwise chaotic instance. This is what is spoken by a lump of clay that has endured much traffic under the feet of animals. A pebble in a brook says in a way that intensifies and abates. Love only seeks to please itself, it wants to trap someone within its grasp, it takes joy and gets pleasure from the failings of others and makes a chaotic instance is the presence of contentment and tranquility.

Connotation: Both the clod of clay and pebble, while being personified themselves, personify love, describing its characteristics and motives in manner that makes each one's though juxtapose the other. One uses a positive image of love and how it acts while the other is more insulting on its motives and the way that it operates.

Attitude: The main attitudes expressed in this poem are positive, describing love as selfless, and negative, making it seem selfish. The clod is positive toward the nature and intent of love, saying that it is selfless and creates a tranquil place wherever it is present, while the pebble says that it is selfish and destructive.

Shift: The shift occurs when the poems narration is given over to the pebble. It goes from being a very positive and intelligent depiction of love by the clod, but when the mic, so to speak, is given over to the pebble, a more direct and thought provoking statement escapes its thoughts.

Title: Two seemingly similar things, earth elements, express opposing statements about the same thing, but taking note that one is soft and has taken quite a beating in life and its positive outlook, and the fact that a pebble, resting on the bottom of a brook with water slowly eating it away, almost peacefully, is the one who has a negative outlook on a seemingly innocent notion.

Theme: Though people may be the same, their outlook on the nature of emotions may differ depending on how they have experienced it in their lives.

The Man He Killed TPCASTT

Title: This poem is probably about someone recounting the time he killed someone...

Paraphrase: He and the man had just met at an inn, and should have sat down and gotten to know each other a little more. But being a foot soldier of the opposing side, they met face to face, and he shot at him while the other shot at him, but the first man's bullet hit home, killing the man at a place that could have brought them together. He shot him because he was the enemy. He had nothing more to do, no job, so he enlisted to get something to bring in money. War is unusual and curious that under any other circumstances

Connotation: The way in which the speaker talks suggests a sense of disappointment in regard to how things would have been under different circumstances in terms of his encounter with the man he killed. He describes alternate circumstances that would have resulted in a more positive outcome than death shown in detail with imagery. He also uses the symbolism of how the inn would usually symbolize a home, somewhere cozy and inviting, but war has made it a place of death, a grave, the complete opposite of hospitable.

Attitude: The attitude of this poem is for the most part regretful. The man wishes that he would not be in the situation where the war has forced his hand to kill a man, but be one that would require that he get to know him rather than to take everything away from the man he has never met.

Shift: The first shift occurs after the first stanza, going from a reflective standpoint to the reality of the encounter with the man. The second shift occurs after the fourth stanza where the speaker it begins to reflect on the effects of war and how you treat someone based on the situation.

Title: The title doesn't give the man a name to show how the speaker in this poem didn't even know him, and yet he still killed him because of the situation of war he was in. He would not know to call him anything other than the man, one that he killed for a reason that remains curious to him.

Theme: War is not a large group of people fighting another large group of people but rather an army fighting for something that a single person or small group of people disagree about, costing many lives that for the most part excludes theirs.

Dulce et Decorum Est Discussion Questions and TPCASTT

1. Look up the Latin quotation from the Roman poet Horace. What does the title mean? How does the poem comment on this statement?

It means "It is sweet and right."

The poet later in the poem applies the saying to the man who had succumb to death as a result of fighting for his country in the war that is made apparent. It is stated at the end after it is expressed that the man who was hit died, but he dies serving his country.

 2. List the elements of the poem that seem not beautiful and are therefore "unpoetic." Are there any elements of beauty in the poem?

Things such as "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on haunting flares (2) we turned our backs And towards our distant rest (3) began to trudge," and "As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. In all my dreams, before my helpless sight, He plunges at me, guttering, (11) choking, drowning." They accurately depict the gore of war but are less than poetic in the purest sense.

The beauty that can be seen in this poem is only beautiful to an eye that looks for the small things that make these men different, their courage, bravery, and willingness to fight for their country.
War as a whole is not beautiful, but it takes a beautiful person to sacrifice their life for the sake of others and hope that they will benefit from their willingness.

 3. How do the comparisons in lines 1, 14, 20, 23-24 contribute to the effectiveness of the poem?

 They express the overall theme of the gore and gruesome nature of war and how ugly it is up close, when one would otherwise just think war is killing, these lines go into great depth in expressing the unrelenting nature of war.

 4. What does the poem gain by moving from plural pronouns and the past tense to singular pronouns and the present tense? How does this shift impact meaning?

 It goes from a viewpoint that would be a commonality between all the men that are there, but when the shift occurs it not only shows that the scene can change very fast, but it also becomes a personal experience since everyone processes stressful and sudden events differently.

The shift impacts the meaning by personalizing the experience to one man, which allows the reader to infer that all of the other men have their own viewpoint, further communicating the hardships of war but from a personal standpoint.

 5. Identify the similes and how their purpose in the poem.

"Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge, Till on the haunting flares(2) we turned our backs And towards our distant rest(3) began to trudge."

"...And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime..."

"...His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin..."

"...Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud..."

It further describes the relentless nature of war and its effects on the soldiers. It is a cancer, cruel and deadly, it is as bitter as the smell of regurgitated cud from a cow's stomach.


TPCASTT-

Title: Without the translation, I would have no idea what the poem would entail, but if I had to take a stab at it I would probably guess that it contained something wise and official, hence the other language for a title of an English poem.

Paraphrase: Crippled, yet they are still in their youth, relentlessly trudging onward. A troubling situation arises, an urgent one, requiring a spontaneous course of action that will attempt to preserve their lives. They scramble to escape their accuser, but one man finds it inescapable. The gruesome reality of his life light's soon diminishing is visible by everyone around. The bitter and relentless nature of war snuffs out all the lives that it can. All is not lost though, because "It is sweet and right to die for your country."

Connotation: The words in this poem employ grotesque imagery and similes to paint a truthful and gruesome depiction of the true nature of war. It helps one to see the reality of war while showing the positive attitude held tightly by the soldiers even in their times of despair and pain to fight for what they believe in.

Attitude: There are two main attitudes in this poem, the more positive one only being expressed in the last three or four lines of the third stanza. The first one, present throughout most of the poem is one of solemn detestation, mainly focused on the war and its effects on strong men. The briefly depicted attitude is one of pride and prestige in reference to how the men are recognized or treated for their sacrifice that can often ask of them their lives.

Shifts: There is a shift at the end of the poem from talking about the worse effects of war to a more respectable aspect of how men who offer their service are memorialized for their willingness to fight for that which they love most, their country.

Title: The title of this poem gives personality to military men, who are often looked at as uniform and emotionless, it opens a rift and allows the true feelings and intentions of military men, showing their selflessness and defensiveness they have for their country and everyone in it.

Theme: Selflessness can be seen in the gloomiest and most destructive situations, and willingness to serve in dangerous situations is not always the result of mindless ignorance to the cost of  what such people are buying into.

Mirror Discussion Questions

1. The personified mirror in Plath’s poem calls candles and the moon “liars.”  What connotative information on the two might help explain this disparaging tone of the mirror?

The mirror acts as if it chooses to reflect everything that it sees. It has no choice but to reflect what it sees, and the face that it claims that it does it willingly, that it is so great and that it sees everything the way that it is elevates it above the moon and candles. The demeaning of the moon could be because of the fact that it does not give off its own light but rather reflects, much like the mirror, which in turn shows the deception or ignorance of the mirror altogether. The candle only gives off light if it is helped to become on fire, it does not emit light just by being a candle, but it requires a flame to become a source of light. The mirror is much like the candle, too. The mirror absolutely requires a light source to be able to "see" anything. In its personification it is able to have a disparaging tone toward the moon and candle because the candle and moon are not given a voice, but if they did have one, they would agree that the real liar is indeed the mirror. The mirror says that it is important to the woman, but who's to say that the candle is not the most important to her because it gives off the light so that the mirror can reflect her form, or the moon that it provides a soft, natural light?

2. Consider the metaphors and their associated verbs “meditate” and “reflect” that the human-like mirror uses to describe itself.  Do you think this is the same kind of meditation and reflection that the woman does when she “bends over” the mirror and rewards it “with tears and an agitation of hands”?

No, the mirror's  meditate is restricted by the amount of light that it is presented with, it has no more depth or object to ponder on if it is not allowed to see it with available light or if it is not contained between the four corners it boasts about. The woman can engage in thoughts, engage in contemplation to achieve a higher standing in terms of her spiritual awareness, therefore grasping things that are not visible to her, whether in her physical sight or contained within her own mind. Reflection takes on a primitive meaning in the context of the mirror, it can only throw back light, it can only manifest within its four corners what it is again allowed to by the presence of light. The woman is able to, in terms of reflection, think quietly and express a thought or outline something that she has experienced even when it is not tangibly in her presence. The mirror may meditate on the woman only as light would allow, and can only reflect the superficial truth of her. Respectively, the woman can meditate on deep things that are hidden from the mirror's eye, and reflect on things that require no light, things that are of though and of concern that only true humans possess, not something that a stuck up mirror thinks that it "knows" by "seeing." 

3. How is the gustatory image of the mirror “swallowing” everything it sees at the beginning related to the visual one of the drowned young girl and the simile at the end of the poem?

What the girl sees is held within the mirror, nothing that she does not possess is present in her reflection, the reflection is just as she is, what she looks like. The mirror "swallowing" her could be linked to the visual image of the mirror drowning the young girl but viewing the girl, or woman, over a long period of time and not a single instance in which this mirror is speaking. The mirror is most likely noting how it is present throughout the girl's life, swallowing the fragments and pieces that it sees of her, drowning her slowly, making her older, drowning her youth if you will. Her youth waning is clearly expresses while continuing the visual image of the lake by describing her as a terrible fish, growing older and soggier as the days go by.

Break of Day Discussion Questions

1.Who is the speaker? Who is addressed? What is the situation? Can the speaker be identified with the poet?

The speaker is undoubtedly a lover that is parting with her beloved at the break of dawn. The situation is that the beloved is getting up, but all of the reasons to get up are invalidated by the speaker. The speaker cannot be identified with the poet since John is a man and the speaker is female.

2.Explain the comparison in line 7. To whom does "I" (10-12) refer? Is "love" (15) the subject or object of "can admit"?

 Light is given the quality of being an eye which can be linked to a source of light, in this poem's case, the sun and that makes the comparison a metaphorical one linking the light to the sun that has been the source of the reason for the speaker to invalidate the protests of the speaker to get out of bed. I would refer to the woman in lines 10-12.  Object, from what it looks like it is a promiscuous relationship and the fact that it would need to be admitted would suggest that it is adulterous in nature or out of wedlock.

3.Summarize the arguments used by the speaker to keep the person addressed from leaving. What is the speaker's scale of value?

 First of all she doesn't mind the fact that her and the man are sharing in the relationship, but her commitment to him makes her question or have to compete for his commitment. She is most definitely cherishing the time she has with him and does not want to share him with his business. Her scale of value has her relationship or quality time with the man somewhere near the top because she fights so hard to keep him in bed with her.

4.Are the two persons married or unmarried? Justify your answer.

 Probably not. The fact that it is mentioned that the love would have to be admitted would suggest that it is a deed done in darkness and therefore out of any form of legitimized marriage. The personification of light also indicates something that would reveal what they are doing, but since it is mute, it can only spy and reveal them in the way of sight and not hearing or telling.

 

Poetry Terms

Alliteration- the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.

Allusion- an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.

Assonance- in poetry, the repetition of the sound of a vowel or diphthong in nonrhyming stressed syllables near enough to each other for the echo to be discernible (e.g., penitence, reticence ).

Ballad- a ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French chanson balladée or ballade, which were originally "dancing songs".

Blank Verse- a poem with no rhyme but does have iambic pentameter. This means it consists of lines of five feet, each foot being iambic, meaning two syllables long, one stressed followed by an unstressed.

Caesura- a break between words within a metrical foot (a pause near the middle of a line.)

Couplet- a pair of lines of metre in poetry. Couplets usually comprise two lines that rhyme and have the same metre. A couplet may be formal (closed) or run-on (open). In a formal (or closed) couplet, each of the two lines is end-stopped, implying that there is a grammatical pause at the end of a line of verse.

Diction- the linguistic style, the vocabulary, and the metaphors used in the writing of poetry.

End Rhyme- a rhyme that occurs in the last syllables of verses.

Enjambment- the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza.

Epic- a long, narrative poem that is usually about heroic deeds and events that are significant to the culture of the poet

Foot-  a basic repeated sequence of meter composed of two or more accented or unaccented syllables. In the case of an iambic foot, the sequence is "unaccented, accented".

Free Verse- poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular meter.

Imagery- visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work or poem.

Lyric- a type of emotional songlike poetry, distinguished from dramatic and narrative poetry.

Metaphor- the comparison of one thing to another without the use of like or as: “A man is but a weak reed”; “The road was a ribbon of moonlight.”

Meter- the basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in verse.

Ode- a lyric poem in the form of an address to a particular subject, often elevated in style or manner and written in varied or irregular meter.

Onomatopoeia- the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named.

Repetition- the simple repeating of a word, within a sentence or a poetical line, with no particular placement of the words, in order to secure emphasis.

Rhyme Scheme- the pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem or song.

Rhythm- stressed and unstressed syllables used in poetry.

Simile- a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared, as in “she is like a rose."

Sonnet- a poem of fourteen lines using any of a number of formal rhyme schemes, in English typically having ten syllables per line.

Stanza- a group of lines forming the basic recurring metrical unit in a poem; a verse.

Stress- the emphasis that falls on certain syllables and not others; the arrangement of stresses within a poem is the foundation of poetic rhythm.

Theme(s)- the statement the poem/poet makes about its subject mainly communicated by diction and tone.

Tone- the mood a poem creates in a reader.

Verse- a single metrical line in a poetic composition. Verse has also come to represent any division or grouping of words in a poetic composition, with groupings traditionally having been referred to as stanzas.

Volta- the turn of thought or argument: in Petrarchan or Italian sonnets it occurs between the octave and the sestet, and in Shakespearean or English before the final couplet.

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? (Sonnet 18) Discussion Questions

1. Based on this poem, what does the speaker think about the recipient?

 

 They are very fond of the person in whom they speak of, to them there is nothing like them.

 

2. Do you notice any connections between the comparisons the poem makes or are they just things to say about a summer's day?

 

 There are comparisons that are somewhat negative when pertaining to the summer, but when it is in reference to the person being compared to it, they are everything good about it, but a never fading version of it.

 

3. What are the specific points of comparison between the recipient and a summer's day, and how does the recipient stack up in the comparison?

 

"...Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date. Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed;
And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimmed; But thy eternal summer shall not fade..."

All of the other details are expressed while telling of their flaws or short life during the course of the summer season while preserving the image of the beloved on who is being compared as timeless and unchanging, not effected by time, their beauty is eternally the beautiful parts of summer.

 

4. Does the poem have a purpose? Does the speaker want something from the recipient? Does he want to say something special to him or her?

 

 The poem's purpose is most likely to express some deep feelings toward the recipient, most obviously feelings of awestruck wonder in relation to their beauty.

If anything, the speaker would only want to invoke or recite their feelings to the recipient in order to provoke a response that might be leading up to a marriage proposal.

The speaker most definitely wants to say something special to the recipient because of the emotion poured into the descriptions and comparisons.

 

5. According to the speaker, exactly what is it about the recipient that makes him or her so wonderful?

 

 Their eternal beauty will never fade, they will never lose possession of how fair they are.

 

6. Can we tell from the poem whether the speaker or the recipient is a man or woman? How can we tell, or why can't we?

 

 If the time period were taken into consideration, a conclusion can be drawn that would mean that the most likely gender to speak in such a way would be a man trying to woo his beloved mistress.

We can tell because a woman would not usually make such a comparison or use such words to describe a man, but would more describe  woman, rough winds and all.

 

7. Is the poem one continuous statement, or can it be broken into parts? If it can be broken up, where are the breaks and what happens in each part?

 

 It could effectively be broken up into parts but when stated as a continuous statement it conveys a sense of overall overwhelmed state of emotion that would otherwise be fragmented if the poem was to be separated into parts.

 

8. The poem begins more or less literally comparing the person being addressed to "a summer's day," but shifts at line 9 from the possible to impossible. Consider the reader impact and what the poem gains by this shift in meaning; interpret and explain.

 

 As cliché as it may sound, love makes the impossible possible, it overwhelms the senses and causes an unrealistic quality to be attributed to the object of the affection. The impact that it has is that there are not enough reasonable and possible things to compare the recipient to so the speaker has to resort to more unrealistic comparisons and descriptions to try and put his feelings into words.

 

Glory TPCASTT

Title: This title could be analyzed to mean that the following poem contains the works or achievements of someone that has renown them renown or honor, and is simply titled "Glory" to express a lack of any other word to describe what the poem encompasses.

Paraphrase: When the glory comes, it will be theirs, when the war is won, they will be sure.
Their hands are lifted to the heavens, no weapon formed against them, the glory is destined to come. The glory makes men and women legends and sets them free from sin by making them blessings. Rosa sat on the bus as defiance to that "sin" and King pointed to the mountain and they began to run. The war is not over and the victory is not theirs, they will fight until the finish and when the war is done they will have the glory and praise (God) for the victory. The place called Selma is now a free place, they rose from the dark and became heroes. They remained peaceful and still managed to win the war, the wrongs are righted and they did it together. The glory is theirs now that the war is won.

Connotation: The use of  religious imagery is used as a way to express the way that they felt about how the fight against inequality was going. Rosa, along with King are patronized for their peaceful war against the inequality of America, and King being renowned for his fight until the end.

Attitude: Throughout the poem only positive attitudes are expressed whether it be confidence, reflection, or an attitude of aspiration and thankfulness for the deeds of these influential people who fight for the equality of African Americans.

Shifts: The first shift occurs around the second chorus, the war is not over and their battle isn't won, the previous statements in the second stanza are more explanatory of the course of action that had been taken thus far, however effective thus far, and then the introduction that the war is still not won brings one back from any ignorance of their progress and the glory it may have achieved. It shifts again shortly after that chorus to introduce more that would be considered part of the achievement of glory and ends with a hopeful statement of how they will act then it is all said and done.

Title: This title is more readily recognizable as how they will see glory after all their "fighting" is done. It speaks of what is to come instead of what already is, even though some glory has already been achieved on some level by the events mentioned briefly in the poem.

Theme: This poem addresses inequality in the past, in the time of MLKJ, it is mentioned about their works and actions that are in effort of fighting for equality of African Americans and Whites. The poet wants the reader to walk away with a better understanding of the mindset of these great historical leaders. Wars, especially ones concerning social issues are not always won by brute force, and is not clouded by arrogance but clarified by humility and perseverance to the set goal to achieve.

Suicide's Note TPCASTT

Title: This title almost gives a personified quality to suicide that is sinister yet inviting.

Paraphrase: The calm and cool face of the river is inviting.

Connotation: Despite the title, the words used in this poem are not negative but rather express a more inviting and captivating.

Attitude: The attitude is not quite somber when considering the title but rather mellow and calm. It personifies the river and portrays it as inviting with imagery.

Shifts: If there is a shift in this poem it has to be the third line, the point where the realization of how the title and the poem fit together becomes apparent, the person who "kisses" the water is really going to drown themselves.

Title: The title depicts the way that suicide lies to the victim when paired with the poem. Its note to the victim is seemingly innocent and inviting, it will help them out of their troubles, but the price to pay is their life.

Theme: The quick fix to a problem can seem inviting, but the answer to a permanent problem does not have to be a permanent solution.

The Whipping Discussion Questions

1.What similarities connect the old woman, the boy, and the speaker? Can you say that one of them is the main subject of the poem? Evaluate the impact.

They have all been abused at one point in time, the effects of such abuse still remains with them.

The speaker could be considered the main subject of the poem because of the way that he uses the boy and old woman to communicated that he too was abuses at one time or another. By describing and witnessing this event he is letting the reader see that he is also a witness of abuse, its effects still lingering with him, just as they do with the old woman and will with the boy.

 2. Does this poem express any beauty? What human truth does it embody? Could you argue against the claim that "it is over now, it over" (19)?

There is a sense of unity in all of the hurting and heartache that a person could possibly endure. Somewhere there will be someone who has experienced similar things that you have, and that similarity can lead to a bond or a sympathy for others who have or have yet to endure the same sort of thing.

It embodies the human truth that we all make mistakes and carry on vicious cycles from what has happened to us (not all the time but a majority.)

The claim that "it is over now, it is over" is most definitely able to be argued against. The cycle of abuse is not broken and that was not the last time she would abuse the boy unless it is indeed an anomaly.

Novel Project LRB #9

"Of Mice and Men"
John Steinbeck



There are many inspirational passages in this book , but one of the best ones is the one where Lennie and George are in cahoots with Candy and on the verge of finally achieving their dream of having a place of their own, a place that they can call home and have all to themselves. The passage I've chosen in the following:

"They fell into a silence. They looked at one another, amazed. This thing they had never really believed in was coming true." (pg. 66)

I think this is one of the most amazing scenes in this entire book, it it just so full of life, hope, and happiness, which was not too common in that time period. I think it was beautiful to begin with that George and Lennie had a dream, but when it comes down to the moment where you are right on the brink of having something you have wanted so long, it is just an overwhelming feeling of pure joy. I love how they are going to be rewarded for their optimism, their amazement is truly wonderful to experience especially because George seemed very doubtful that this dream would ever be achieved in the first place. I have had a similar experience, not so much with a dream of my own ,but an opportunity that I have had before. I was given the opportunity to have a solo for singing at church, which may seem insignificant to some, but I had struggled with being shy about singing in front of people. When I was asked, "Would you like to have a solo this Sunday evening?" I could hardly believe what I had just heard, I stood there like a deer in headlights, not saying a word. I could not begin to express how relieved I was that someone had come to me and asked, fulfilling my desire to share the gift God had given me. Since that moment I gladly accept any time I am asked, and it saddens me that George, Lennie, and Candy are so utterly disappointed because of the outcome of the story, this passage truly fills me with joy, but also strikes a chord in my heart for those who cannot get their dream fulfilled, their deepest desires to become reality. I truly feel what they felt in this moment, but I wish the outcome was different in the end.

Novel Project LRB #6

"Of Mice and Men"
John Steinbeck



In this book, oddly enough, most of the characters themselves operate as a symbol, the two most important ones being Curley's wife and Crooks, a woman and a negro man. Curley's wife, who is not given a name, is symbolic of how women were treated and acknowledged in that time period. She had no power, no one to listen to but men, and not a single soul who was willing to listen to her. She is though of as all the other women of that time, good for nothing but cooking, cleaning, and sleeping with. Now Crooks on the other hand, despite his race, is actually treated better than most negros would at that time. Yes, he sleeps in a barn, yes, he is not allowed to play cards with the other men in the bunk house because he stinks, but he still has it better off. Racism was not completely eradicated during this time, and Crooks is a mild example of how a black male with an injured back would be treated during that time. The main characters, Lennie and George, are representative of a small group of people that were probably hard to find during this time. Friends, companions, two people who were there for each other. Everyone was lonely during the depression one would thing, but these two represent the small amount of people who actually had something, who actually dreamed despite the hardships they were enduring, they had hope. More objective symbols could be the mouse, puppy, bunnies, or more broadly, "soft things." Soft things could vaguely be paralleled with sex, and the fact that Lennie was mentally inhibited made him oblivious to sexual acts, as his mind was like a child's and everything he did was just as a child would do, in innocence. The death of the "soft things" can be interpreted as the way that women are thrown away after their usefulness is expended, not so much in Lennie's case, but the other men of that time period, he is merely a victim to the cruel truth that this symbol represents.

Novel Project LRB #5

"Of Mice and Men"
John Steinbeck



Many books accurately express the traits of the time period in which they are based, but this one is a bit easier to analyze because all of the elements are so prominent. The setting of this book is based right near the beginning of the Great Depression, which started in 1929.The wandering around and looking for a job aspect of Lennie and George's life is based solely on their need to find a job, no matter how far they might have to go. The fact that Lennie stirred up trouble in another town and forced them to move can also be indicative of the heightened emotions due to the stress for money and the poor state of the economy. George and Lennie operate as just two of the men effected by this tragic downturn. The location, California, is important because it had a large amount of people expand its population due to the need for jobs, and most people thought that California was a good choice. Most of the migrants were displaced farmers hoping to find a job there.
The role of women is also expressed quite accurately for the time period in which this story is based, one of the most identifying things from this particular story is the fact that one of the only women mentioned in this book is not even given a name. This shows how insignificant women seemed in that time period, not even worthy to be mentioned by name. There is also the fact that this was a time period in which "cat houses" were often visited by the empty shells of men who are just trying to fill a void in their life that the depression has knocked in them. The women are much more of a victim because they are used as either a trophy or a way to help men "get everything out of their system at once." But in the end all people, both men and women, fall victim to the plague of loneliness that has swept through the nation due to the augmentation effects the depression brought along with it.

Novel Project LRB #4

"Of Mice and Men"
John Steinbeck



This novel started out by introducing the two main characters, Lennie Small and George Milton, two travelers on their way to a new job. George fights with Lennie twice about the mouse and a few or more times about his terrible memory. George then gets serious and he tells Lennie to make sure he comes back to the spot where they presently are at and hide in the brush if anything bad happens, in which it has before. Apparently Lennie attracted the attention of the men in Weed because he "raped" a girl, but all he did is want to feel her dress. He likes to "pet soft things." The fact that this incident is introduced in the beginning gives room for one to foreshadow future events; a place to hide and a history of bad incidents, it seems inevitable to happen again. This exposition acts as the narrative hook by creating curiosity in the reader about what may happen to cause Lennie to retreat to the brush once more.
The rising action is steadily moving upward throughout the entire book, from Lennie getting a puppy, something he should not be able to pet to death, to the reader really believing these two will finally have to place to work for the money that they need to get their farm.The small things pale in comparison when the action skyrockets at the point in which Candy, Lennie, and George figure that they have the money to fulfill Lennie and George's long awaited dream, to have a place of their own, a place that they can call home. The only reason it is really possible is due to Candy's life savings. Nonetheless, the introduction of the fact they will finally achieve that which they desire so much is soon coming, and the rising action seemingly tops off right there, but, as usual, something comes along and disrupts the process.
George, Candy, and Lennie all endured the doubtful remarks about their dream, but until the unthinkable happens, they were convinced that the dream was absolutely theirs for the taking. Lennie did something that is unparalleled by anything he had ever done before, he kills Curley's wife, not out of meanness, but out of fear. She offered to him the opportunity to pet her soft hair, and when things got out of hand, they really got out of hand. This is the pinnacle moment in which the story begins its descent, the moment the dream meets its demise along with Curley's wife. Lenny suffocated the dream just as he did all those mice, just like his puppy, and just like Curley's wife. He can not help it though, he was too dumb to realize.
The falling action can be analyzed as Curley's wife is discovered by the others and Lennie has made a run for his hiding place, the search for the innocent murderer is waged, and what becomes of him is truly a shock to all.
The story is resolved with the death of Lennie, not by Curley's hands, but George's. When he pulls the trigger on Lennie, he also pulls the trigger on his dream, his hope of having a place of his own. His hopelessness returns and he seemingly sinks into the same plagued state that all of his fellow pals are in, the repetition of loneliness and its life-draining ferocity.

The Kite Runner Discussion Questions 202-379

Chapter 15 -
1. Upon entering Pakistan, the tone becomes more frank. There is a sense of urgency as Amir gets deeper and deeper into Talib territory. Hosseini allows the reader to observe this shift by using simpler sentence structures and by using less detail and being more direct in his explanations or major or minor details.
2. It takes the cake in terms of expressing how much Afghanistan has changed since Amir was last there. Violence is now commonplace and executed in a merciless manner. The Afghanistan the Amir once knew is dead and buried.

Chapter 16 -
Yes. He grew up to be a happy man, not effected (entirely) by his past. He is taller, married, has a son named Sohrab, a newfound (perhaps latent) attitude of self-assuredness. His looks, his temperament, his willingness to serve are still intact despite the horrors he has witnessed. He is still the same old Hassan, just in a bigger body. Hosseini's description of Hassan is significant because it portrays him similarly to how he was described previously in the book in a physical sense, but more developed in the aspect of maturity and character, showing that what had happened to him did not impact the course of his life to the magnitude that it did Amir.

Chapter 17 -
At first it comes as a bitter shock and somewhat expected twist to the story. Amir immediately realizes that he will never be able to tell Hassan that he is sorry for what he had done, to physically be able to truly repent to him in person. His guilt is still there but the person who Amir betrayed in order to obtain the very reason of his guilt is in the ground, leaving Amir with no way to make amends for what he has done.
The pausing between the dialogue of Amir and Rahim make it more realistic in the fact that Amir is having the same reaction that we as the reader are experiencing and the breaks also help in building suspense and eventually leads to shock. The way Hosseini encapsulates what he knows the reader is thinking and puts it in the book is just absolutely amazing, his attention to details and suspense factors is absolutely enthralling.
The fact that Hassan is also Baba's son just shatters Amir entirely. His guilt is immediately amplified by an exponential amount due to the new revelation that he abandoned not only a friend, but his own brother to be raped on his behalf.
Baba had always treated them the same, like there was no ethnic gap between the two. The fact that the subtly context clues are there do not really pop out until the initial revelation, then one can look back and notice how prominent and blatant the hints are. Baba never forgot Hassan's birthday, treated him just the same as he did Amir. Amir never got any special treatment that Hassan did not receive also, in one way or another.
One factor that could possibly explain away any accusations that someone may have toward Baba is that Hassan was a hazara. In that culture hazaras are looked upon as shameful, and by Baba keeping it a secret it protected his good name and Amir from any shaming that may have resulted from the truth. Ali keeping it a secret seems very unlikely since it is almost apparent that he does not even know that Hassan is not his. He, out of any of them, would be the most innocent in the event that someone questioned him about the parentage of Hassan. Rahim Khan, being Baba's closest friend pretty much had no choice but to keep it a secret, he just provided inspiration when Amir was down because of the way Baba acted. The fact that they lied is not in their personality, so it aids in the development of the plot by actin as a device of unspoken salvation that saved them all from shame. The lie is also a perfect explanation of why Baba treated Amir the way he did, and similarly the reason he treated Hassan and Ali the way he did. He felt as if the lie itself was bad, but the destruction that would result from the truth being known was less than that which would be caused by the lie, so when the reader discovers this shocking truth, it is easier to see the rationalization that Baba had to endure to protect himself and the two boys.

Chapter 18 -
By discovering that Hassan is his brother, or as he says "half-brother," possibly trying to preserve his present state of guilt and trying not to feel worse for what he had done. It opens his eyes to the real nature of Baba and his attitude. He realizes that Baba was ashamed, if not guilty himself, and that he was not just a grumpy man who hated him for taking his princess from him. This revelation opens another, much wider door to Amir in terms of how he can be redeemed by finding Hassan's son, his (half) nephew.
Amir discovers that he shares something, one of the most important things, with his father. They both have dome something that brings them a great amount of guilt, and the guild serves as a device and an explanation for the way that they act. Both of these secrets that spring forth with guild are the reason Amir and Baba embark on journey to atone for their sins. Baba sees Amir's weakness while Amir sees Baba's perfection, which causes a bit of tension between the two, when in all reality they are more similar than they are difference because of this.
Amir's decision to go to Kabul is way out of character for the Amir we know up until that point. His reason for going is to save his recently discovered nephew, the son of his brother, Hassan. Amir's decision to put his life in danger in order to save this child shows his yearning for redemption is true and that he really is trying to change.

Chapter 19 -
His dream indicates that he feels responsible for what happened to Hassan, for his murder. It could mean that he feels that he was the cause of how Hassan had turned out along with the responsibility he holds for letting Hassan get raped. He essentially feels guilt not only for what he allowed to happen, but also for his eventual murder.

Chapter 20 -
The tone of the opening of this chapter is grim and reminiscent.
He describes them as something he desires to preserve and care for, but he has no money to do so for long, so he allows the Taliban to purchase one every once and a while. There is also irony with the Taliban because they refuse to support the orphanage and the children but end up doing so by buying children.

Chapter 22 -
He leaves Amir in a room all by himself when he is around the Taliban, shifting in the uncomfortable silence. Two armed men then enter along with the tall Talib in white, Assef. Assef continues to awkwardly sit in silence, just staring at Amir, bloodstains still on his sleeve from the stoning at the soccer field. The men then continue by ripping off his beard, exposing him obviously as a non-Talib citizen. When it is revealed to Amir that the man before him is Assef, it peaks his fear, and he just about urinates on himself and can hardly speak due to his dry tongue.
He is obviously older, but he seems to have gained an elevated status in the eyes of the Taliban and has moved on to having multiple encounters with small children instead of the one time with Hassan, which is completely repulsive to say the least. He is still cruel and conniving. The story signifies the reason he chose to become part of the Taliban? He was part of the upper crust in Kabul, so he was naturally targeted by the communists, so when they beat on him and threw him in jail for no reason, he decided that day that he was still alive for a reason, the reason being it was his destiny, assigned by God, to clean up the garbage that has found its way into Afghanistan.

Chapter 23 -
The dream in Baba's case signified that he was a strong man, a metaphor used throughout the entire novel, so in Amir's case, it signifies his shift from being too afraid and selfish to face what he had done to the fact that he was ready to fight his bear and win. Assef was destined to be messed up by somebody due to the fact he was an all around sick and twisted fool. Amir "got what he deserved" from Assef because he deserved to be beaten to a pulp because of what he did in his past, in encounters with Assef and the incident with Hassan. Rahim intended, it seems, for Amir to rescue Sohrab from Kabul and take him home with him to America. The Caldwells were a device that acted as a credible, if you disregard the fact it was a lie, reason for Amir to go and rescue his nephew. He can be good again by raising his brother's orphan child, making it up to Hassan through Sohrab.

Chapter 24 -
Just when things were starting to settle down on the negative side of the story, the only good news introduced in a while is abruptly interrupted by horribly tragic news. It acts as a climax that sets the tone for the rest of the ending of the novel.

Chapter 25 -
Hosseini uses his word choice and sentence structure to create a sense of suspense and dread by dragging out the revelation of a Sohrab who will survive. The endless tossing and turning and wondering just lengthen the period of time that Amir is experiencing, creating a realistic example of how the perception of time varies especially when someone is waiting to see if someone they love and care for is going to live.
Amir says to the general that he is to never reference Hassan as a hazara in his presence, which means that he has accepted him just like a son of his own and does not think of him as some detestable thing that crawls out of a sewer, but as someone that is family.
He essentially makes Amir go through a beautiful metamorphosis which really began the moment he got into a fight with Assef. Amir essentially becomes Hassan, and it is appropriate because it shows the reader that Amir has finally done it, he has redeemed himself.
Hosseini makes a hateable and selfish character become a admirable and serving man after he has been sharpened by being hit by a hammer (figuratively speaking, physically when considering Assef's damage) causing him to be sharpened into a beautiful sword instead of being a squared and boring ingot. He becomes good by becoming Hassan, who was good from the start, he became who he could always be but never was.

LRB #3- The Kite Runner

"The Kite Runner"
Khaled Hosseini



Right from the beginning, Khaled Hosseini institutes the necessary elements to develop the most outstanding theme in his novel "The Kite Runner," which is the search for redemption. Everyone encounters things that will test them, on either an ethical or personal level involving their character. Amir has reason right from the beginning of the story to search for redemption, but he is blinded by his ignorance as a result of his age and lack of experience, mind you, I would never make excuses for him. From the smaller things such as dangling his superiority over Hassan, to standing idly by while Hassan gets raped to keep a kite that will elevate Amir's status in his fathers eyes are examples of the lesser and greater decisions that Amir makes that determine the difficulty of him redeeming himself. In a sort of cliche way, he digs himself a pretty deep hole. The phrase "There is a way to be good again," Rahim Khan had said resonates within Amir because he has come to realize just what he had done after he grew up a little. The novel focuses in on Amir and observes his maturing and development only to prepare him for his ultimate redemption mission, his quest of a lifetime, a trip back to Afghanistan. Afghanistan itself acts as a symbol that can be applied to real world situations, our past. Amir has to go back to his past, or the place where it occurred to fix the deep wounds that stayed with him like a leech, constantly draining him of his peace of mind and not allowing him to live free, to run. What we do in our lives stays with us for the remainder of the time, but some things must be fixed in order to allow growth and development in terms of living, but also, when tied back into the novel, sometimes the things that need fixed are to liberate more than just ourselves. Amir begins the novel as a snot nosed brat that any reasonable person would want to strangle to death upon meeting him, but when he realizes his need for redemption and takes every step necessary to achieve it, no matter how hard, he not only brings redemption to himself, but also redeems himself in the eyes of an ideal reader. The search for redemption; one of the most applicable themes. Everyone at one point will need to seek out redemption, either big or small, but based on this novel, fictional or not, it speaks with actions and not just words. An "I'm sorry" will not always fix your life or redeem you, the actions and steps you take in order to earn the redemption is what matters in the end.