From In Memoriam A. H. H.--Alfred, Lord Tennyson-285

Speaker: The speaker of this poem is Lord Alfred Tennyson. This poem is part of a sequence composed after the death of the poet's closest friend, his sister's fiance. In the poem, the author is reflecting on his feelings after the mans's death. He felt such a great emptiness, as evident by the poem's content and language. The fact that the poem is told by the closest friend of the deceased makes the poem seem even more sorrowful, knowing that it is personal and heartfelt. Knowing of their relationship, the reader can truly sympathize for the author.

Rhyme: There is a definite rhyme scheme in this poem. The last word in the first and last lines of every stanza have an end rhyme. The middle two lines of each stanza also have end rhymes. This creates a familiar feel to the poem, allowing the reader to concentrate more on the content iteself than the rhyme scheme. The rhyme scheme maintains the rythm of the poem also.

Meter: Stressed and unstressed syllables are key in this poem. Stressed syllables came every two or three words, varying by the line. Because of the rhyme scheme, the last word of every line was one syllable, and those syllables were all accented. Commas and other punctuation, along with the meter, helped to slow down the pace of this poem. By reading it with the appropriate breaks, it is more dramatic and emotional, thus achieving the author's intended effect.

Synecdoche: The author of this poem uses synecdoche. He talks about standing by a door, waiting for a hand. It is not a hand he is waiting for though, it is a person that he is waiting for. He says that this hand can be clasped no more. He refers to his deceased friend as a hand, because it is too difficult to remember him in his entirety, it is too painful. He cannot conjure up memories of his friend as if he were a person because they were so close; this is a type of subconscious diversion often associated with the death of a loved one. Also, the word hand makes you think of outstretching and reaching for something. He is grasping for his friend, for he misses him so horribly. It is a pathetic gesture that the reader can relate to. He keeps reaching and keeps trying for something that is gone; simplying envisioning that evokes powerful emotions.

In the last stanza particularly, the author uses alliteration. The stanza opens with, "He is not here." The alliteration of this line seems to be a sort of resignation. The author accepts that his friend is gone, but says so with a subtle bitterness, by accenting "he" and "here". Also, alliteration was used in the last line: "On the bald streets breaks the blank day". This alliteration emphasizes three negative words, reflecting the author's negative emotions. The word bald describes not only the emptiness of the streets, but also the emptiness that the author feels inside. Not only does day break, but so did the author's heart. Not only was the day blank, but so was the author's life. he felt such an emptiness and hopelessness; he expressed it through the accentual alliteration of those three words.

Reaction: This poem made me feel rather depressed. I sympathized for the author, and felt truly horrible for his loss. It made me imagine what it would be like to lose my best friend. The thought hurt me so badly...I had this vividly empty feeling inside after reading this, as if I had just suffered what he had. The poem made me realize that I need to value and cherish all of my relationships, because you never know when it could all be swept away...

The Death of a Soldier-Wallace Stevens-281

Speaker: This poem is told from an omniscient point of view. The unknown speaker, presumably the poet, talks of death and the continuation of the world when someone dies. Such an all-knowing perspective makes this poem slightly eerie. It makes the reader seem sure that the speaker is right, that he/she speaks only the truth. Without identifying a speaker, the reader cannot blame anyone in particular for what he is reading. The reader does not feel that the poem is obscured by personal bias, and its point more readily accepted.

Rhyme: There are no rhymes in this poem. In poems with rhyme schemes, the reader becomes used to the rhyme, relying on it, and trusting it. Since there is no rhyme scheme in this poem, there is nothing to count on. The reader just reads through and accepts it for what it is, without thinking twice. There is no need for the bounce of a rhyme scheme, for that would give levity to the subject of the poem. This poem needs to uplifting, it is intended to be dark.

Meter: The stressed and unstressed syllables of this poem make it flow continuously. It is an easy flow from the beginning to end, without giving the reader time to comprehend what he thinks until it is over. Such a fluid and rapid movement over this poem contributes greatly to its effect.

The author uses assonance in this poem. He puts words together such as "as in", "is expected", and "is absolute", in order to maintain the flow of the poem. The assonance of these two words allows for the reader to flow right over them, just as life can flow right over an individual. The consistancy of this fluidity helps the reader arrive at the end of the poem, so he/she can contemplate his feelings of the subject of death after, and not during the poem.

Also, alliteration is used. "When the wind..." is an example of this alliteration. By emphasizing the wind in such a manner, along with reference to time (the word when), the author is showing that a person's death does not stop nature. Time will reign supreme, and the natural flow will remain uninterrupted.

Reaction: This poem made me contemplate different philosophies on life and death. It is depressing to think that human life is so meaningless, that the natural world will be unaffected if I die. I've been thinking about this topic a lot since reading the poem, and i have split feelings on the subject. It is slightly reassuring and calming to know that we mean nothing in the scheme of things. It makes our mistakes and wrongdoings seem unimportant, our fears minimal. But at the same time, it also makes our accomplishments and our succeses seem minimal and unimportant. It is quite a double-edged sword. Sure, we all want to feel important. We all want to feel like we changed the world in some way during our lives. But the reality is, almost all of us will be forgotten within a century of our death. And that century is nothing in the span of time...

The Warden Said to Me-Etheridge Knight-250

Speaker: The speaker of this poem is a man named Etheridge. Etheridge is an imprisoned black. Also, Etheridge is the name of the author, so it can be deduced that the speaker of the poem relates in some way to the author's past. The speaker uses incorrect English, and poor grammar. He is characterizing a common sterotype of blacks that was held by many whites during that time period. Ironically, the white warden too uses bad English, showing that he is not superior; they are truly equals.

Rhyme/Meter: In this poem, there is no rhyme scheme or meter. This poem is a personal account, giving a conversational and casual feel. Rather than an ineffectual attempt to describe the situation, the author brings the reader directly into a conversation. The fact that the poem is presented in this way shows the blight of the African American race, without obscuring it with personal bias.

Irony is utilized in this poem. The parenthetical interjection, "innocently, i think", is used twice. This is an example of verbal irony, as the speaker knows that neither man's remarks were innocent. The use of these two sarcastic lines shows the conflict between not only the two men, but their respective races, presumably white and black. Such sarcasm gives a malicious feel to the conversation, a certain bitterness that cannot be ignored. Also, as previously noted, it is ironic that both men speak with the same proficiency. Though in society they are far from equal, as men they are equal.

This entire poem is symbolic of the struggle between whites and blacks. Both races have struggled for power, and both have had groups that hate the other. This conversation in the poem does not represent the struggle of two men, rather it symbolizes the conflict between two races throughout history.

Reaction: I liked this poem for its simplicity and its straight-forward nature. It directly addressed a problem that still exists today. Because racism is still prevalent in American society today, it affected me greatly. I believe that all people are created equal, the idea of inherent superiority irks me tremendously. This poem actually evoked slight anger in me, because i hate injustice of any sort, especially because of something as meaningless as the color of one's skin.

Good Times-Lucille Clifton-209

Speaker:
The speaker of this poem is the author, Lucille Clifton. Though the poem speaks of her childhood days, she is telling it from an older perspective, like a reflection. She tells the story of her family having "good times" as if she is in the present. By the last two lines though, it becomes evident that she is telling it looking back on those days. She says, "oh children think about the good times." She ends the poem in such a manner to remind the reader to focus on the good in life, and not the bad. Good times can make the bad times seem more bearable. Before the last two lines, the purpose of her poem is unclear, but by reading those last two lines, it is evident that the poem is intended to teach, or advise.

Rhyme:
This poem does not have a structured rhyme scheme, though two lines do ryhme.
"...and the insurance man is gone
and the lights is back on"
She rhymes the words "gone" and "on", two seemingly contrasting words if not considered in context. If analyzed alone, these two words seem to be opposites. She intentionally rhymed them to accentuate this. She emphasizes the words "gone" and "on" particularly to show that good times come and go, without warning. She places emphasis on these words to say: Appreciate the good things that happen to you, because nothing is certain.
Other than that, there are no other rhymes. The structure and wording of the sentences reminds me of a slave speaking. The language is unsophisticated, and the grammar is poor. She writes in such a style to imply that she had bad times too, the good times were temporary.

meter:
This poem uses accentual meter. The accents are placed on the fifth and last syllables of each line, except for the two word lines. The way that makes this poem flow is very repetetive, almost forced. The accents give the poem a slightly bouncy feel, but not in a happy way. The "bounce" is consistant and ongoing, symbolizing her life. Her life just kept on going, through the good and the bad. Since she is telling this story from a younger perspective, perhaps she structures it like this to make her sound naive.

Repetition for effect:
Repetition for effect is used in this poem. Obviously, "good times" is repeated five times, six if you include the title. This is done to tell the reader to focus on the good times, Clifton's main theme of the poem. By repeating it, it seems more important. Also, the word "kitchen" is repeated twice in a row. Kitchen makes the reader think of food, it is easily identifiable. By repeating "kitchen", she was trying to convey to the reader how exactly how dire her situation was; her family struggled to afford food much of the time.

Allegory:
Clifton uses the word drunk to convey two things: First, her family is drunk. Literally, they are drunk. But the connotation that is attached to that word is negative. "Drunk" makes people think of stupidity and disallusion. By using that word to describe her family, it takes on dual meanings. Sure they are drunk, but they are also naive and blind to the seriousness of the situation. By making use of a word's connotation and denotation at once, Clifton made use of allegory.

Reaction:
This poem affected me personally, because I often find myself taking life for granted. I wallow too deeply in the things that trouble me, without devoting enough thought to the good things that happen to me. My negative experiences often cast a dark shadow over my positive experiences. This poem helped me to be more aware of this, so hopefully I can overcome it. If I follow the advice of this poem, I"m certain it will have long term benefits for me personally.

A Portrait of the Artist as A Young (Insert noun here)

As for the title of my blog, "(insert noun here)" is significant because of the different ways James Joyce was viewed, and the different stages he went through. He was viewed by some as a rebel, by some as a delinquent, by some as anti-establishment, and by some as a danger. Through part of his life he viewed himself as worthless, sinful, and as a failure. He later viewed himself as an individual, an intellect, and an elite. I view him simply as a man. To call attention to his pluralistic identity, I name I titled my blog as noted...

Theme: Individualism
Of course individualism is a dominant theme in the novel. James Joyce grew up in a family that dictated his thoughts, a family that sought complete control over his life. His family prefered to think for him, rather than to have him think for himself. He was raised under a strict Catholic lifestyle, where family, religion, and cultural norms were of the utmost importance. As a young boy, Stephen was picked on and bullied by other children; because he was without his support system while in school, he was unable to defend himself. He simply did not know how. Without his family to aid him, he was useless, susceptible to any danger that could come his way. This shows that total dependence on a support system is detrimental. One must rely on one's own self to succeed. As he grew older, he became a follower of the Church. At this point in time, the Church replaced his family as his largest influence. Though he was no longer being told what to think by his family, he was still being told what to think by the Church--This was even more harmful. His thoughts clouded by the Church's indoctrination, he turned to self-abuse and self-punishment. This shows that dependence on an institution is harmful as well. One must think one's own thoughts, otherwise one is not being true to oneself; if a person lives a lie, it will certainly have disastrous consequences. Finally, as Joyce progresses to his final stage in the novel, he achieves self-fulfillment. He finally understands himself, and comse to terms with his life. He is able to make sound decisions, decisions that are healthy and beneficial. Why such a turnaround?--Because he thought for himself for the first time. He was true to his beliefs because they were actually his. Without his minded obstructed by the opinions of others, he was able to succeed. By not allowing others to proselytize him any longer, he became stronger and smarter. His individualistic thoughts led to his success.

Quote: "He was destined to learn his own wisdom apart from others or to learn the wisdom of others himself wandering among the snares of the world." (Joyce 175).
This is possibly the most important quote in the entire novel, at least it struck me as such. It is at this point in time that Stephen realizes that in order to learn and live, one mustn't follow others blindly. It is crucial to learn on one's own, learning from mistakes, and benefitting from triumphs. It is at this point that he acknowledges the dangers of the world, but is able to embrace them. Joyce chose his words carefully for this sentence, opting to make his point clear and unambiguous. He used the word "destined" to express to the reader the importance of Stephen's epiphany. The word "destined" suggests that the situation was inevitable, that individual thought is impossible to suppress. He also repeated the word "wisdom" twice. The use of that particular word instead of a word such as "intelligence" or "knowledge" enhances the quote's significance. "Wisdom" carries a different connotation than its synonyms, and sounds more powerful and important. He is implying that Stephen is not yet wise. He is smart, but has been shielded from reality for too long, thus he did not yet have the experience to be wise. Now that he broke free from his oppressors, wisdom awaited him... He refers to the "snares of the world" to make the point that life is not perfect. He now understands that a perfect life is impossible, and living only to attain perfection is a wasted life. He desires now to break free of the institutions that were holding him back; though he was unsure of his next move, he at least knew he would make a move. Up to this point in his life, he had been unsure, anxious, afraid. This quote marks a turning point in his life where afterward he would be sure, calm, and unafraid. This quote signifies the end of his old life, and the beginning of his new life.

Reflection:
As many other students have noted, this book was quite a difficult read. THERE is an understatement for you...Though the book was difficult, and probably nearly impossible to read alone without class discussions to guide you, it was rewarding. The book was a powerful account that sucked the reader directly into the speaker's thoughts. Rarely does a novel portray emotions in such a disturbingly accurate manner. Joyce's use of stream-of-consciousness style of writing was incredible as it progressed through the different stages of his thoughts. It was quite interesting to read a book that went from talking about moocows and wetting the bed to contemplating the deepest philosophies of life and death. I agree strongly with the book's theme of individualism and self-thought. I, too, disagree with many of the Church's practices, and desire not to be limited by an institution. Because of the aforementioned reasons, I liked the book a lot. The reading assignments drove me to the point of "near-James-Joyce-during-his-religious-self-abuse-periods-insanity", but alas I do not hold a grudge. Solid choice of a book...