How to Attack a Poem

Jonathan, Hood

8/7/11

P.1

How to Attack a Poem

Who is the speaker? What kind of person is he/she? How do you know?

To whom is he/she speaking? What kind of person is the audience? How do you know?

What is the occasion?

What is the central purpose of the poem? State the central idea in a well-developed sentence.

Discuss the imagery. Are there any patterns in it?

Remember, diction (word choice) creates tone. Identify the tone of the poem, and explain how it is achieved though well chosen diction.

Locate any examples of irony. How is it used?

Criticize and evaluate the poem.

"She dwelt among the Untrodden ways" by William Wordsworth

1) Who is the speaker?

A man, talking about a woman.

2) What kind of person is he/she? How do you know?

The person is very dark. I know this because in the poem he says, "When Lucy ceased to be; But she is in her grave, and, oh, the difference to me!"

3) To whom is he/she speaking? What kind of person is the audience? How do you know?

He is speaking to people at a funeral. The audience is people who knew the woman. I know this because the 10th line said, "when Lucy ceased to be"

4) What is the occasion?

A woman's funeral, but no one at this funeral cared for her.

5) What is the central purpose of the poem? State the central idea in a well-developed sentence.

The central purpose of the poem is to show that this woman Lucy had very few friends when she died, the people who came to her funeral didn't care because line 9 it says " Lucy lived unknown."

6) Discuss the imagery. Are there any patterns in it?

The imagery has a lot to do with the sky. Words in the poem that make me think this are dove, sky, and stars.

7) Locate any examples of irony. How is it used?

There is no irony.

8) Criticize and evaluate the poem.

The poem is very vague on who is the speaker; you really have to look deep. The poem is very dark and depressing but also very loving.

"Sonnet 43" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

1) Who is the speaker? What kind of person is he/she? How do you know?

The speaker is Elizabeth Barrett Browning. She is a person who is in love. I know this because she says the word love a lot in the poem.

2) To whom is he/she speaking? What kind of person is the audience? How do you know?

She is talking to her boyfriend, fiancé, or husband. The audience is a loving person. I know this because she is writing about the love she has for a man.

3) What is the occasion?

The occasion is at a wedding, maybe, an exchange of vows.

4) What is the central purpose of the poem? State the central idea in a well-developed sentence.

The central purpose of this poem is to show the love between two people. And how they want to spend the rest of their life together.

5) Discuss the imagery. Are there any patterns in it?

The imagery in the poem expresses a sense of love and devotion and how Elizabeth feels about this man. There are not any patterns.

6) Locate any examples of irony. How is it used?

There is no irony in this poem.

7) Criticize and evaluate poem.

For me, the poem was very good, a little too much lovey dovey for me but, otherwise good.

"If" by Rudyard Kipling.

1) Who is the speaker? What kind of person is he/she? How do you know?

The speaker is the author. He is a motivational person. I know this because the poem is very motivational. "Or, being hated, don't give way to hating," "Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on."

2) To whom is he/she speaking? What kind of person is the audience? How do you know?

I believe he is speaking to anyone who will listen. The audience is a rebellious type. Because he is telling them if someone is doing something do the opposite.

3) What is the occasion?

The occasion is maybe a rally of some kind to become people that stand for what they believe in.

4) What is the central purpose of the poem? State the central idea in a well-developed sentence.

I believe that the central purpose of this poem is to have people stand out, be themselves, and love every minute of it.

5) Discuss the imagery. Are there any patterns in it?

Imagery is mainly don't do what others do.

6) Locate any examples of irony. How is it used?

Irony is all throughout this poem. It is used very in your face. If someone is being hateful to you don't go hating others.

7) Criticize and evaluate the poem.

The poem is great very motivational. It taught me to be myself.

"Not Waving but Drowning" by Stevie Smith

1) Who is the speaker? What kind of person is he/she? How do you know?

I believe the speaker is a dead man who was drowning. This person is misunderstood and dark.

2) To whom is he/she speaking? What kind of person