Names: _____________________________________________________________

Robert Frost (1874-1963) is one of America’s most celebrated poets. Today you will use a poetry
analysis strategy to analyze one of his most well-known poems. The strategy (TP-CASTT) requires
you to analyze the poet’s word choice and imagery in order to unlock the poem’s deeper message
(theme).
Terms to Know:
Connotation: the feelings and ideas that a word creates beyond its literal meaning (denotation) i.e.
home has a warmer connotation than house; skinny has a more negative connotation than slender.

Allusion: Allusion is a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical,
cultural, literary or political significance. It does not describe in detail the person or thing to which it
refers. It is just a passing comment and the writer expects the reader to possess enough knowledge to
spot the allusion and grasp its importance in a text. (http://literarydevices.net/allusion/)

Nothing Gold Can Stay Title: Based on the title, predict what you think the poem might be about
by Robert Frost

1. Paraphrase each line of the poem. Define any words you don’t know.
2. Connotation: What ideas, images, and feelings does the poet create?
(Consider the figurative language the poet uses and the connotation of the words and images s/he uses.)
Go back through the poem and highlight the metaphors, allusions, and verbs.
3. Attitude: What is the speaker’s attitude toward the subject of the poem? Write your answer here:

4. Shift: Where is a shift in the speaker’s attitude/tone? Write “shift” where you see a change.

Nature’s first green is gold, P: The first buds of nature happen in the spring and don’t last very long.

C: green is gold is a metaphor and maybe an allusion. Golden age=a time o

Her hardest hue to hold. P:

C:

Her early leaf’s a flower; P:

C:

But only so an hour. P:

C:

Then leaf subsides to leaf. P:

C:

So Eden sank to grief. P:

 C:

So dawn goes down to day. P:

C:

Nothing gold can stay. P:

C:

5. Theme: What is the message of

the poem?

What is the author’s purpose for

including this poem in The
Outsiders? How does this poem
relate to the characters or the plot
events of the novel?

Criteria A: Analyze i. The student is able to identify and explain the content, context, language, structure, techniq
text(s) and the relationships among texts.

0 The student does not achieve any of the descriptors.

1-2 The student is able to perform a limited analysis of the poem’s content. (Incomplete)

3-4 The student is able to perform a basic analysis of the poem’s content. (Ideas are briefly stated, understandi

5-6 The students is able to perform a complete analysis of the poem’s content.(Ideas are complete with a g
understanding)

7-8 The student is able to perform a perceptive analysis of the poem’s content. (Ideas are clearly stated with thou