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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.
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
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.
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
LITERAL MEANING
We shouted out A crowd has caught a woman. The persona
'We've got her! Here she is! implies to the reader that the woman is not
It's her all right '. decent. She was beautiful, but scared because
We caught her. she had gotten 'roughed up' a little by the
There she was - crowd. The persona states that the woman has
experienced men's hands on her body before,
A decent-looking woman, you'd have said, but this crowd's hands were virtuous.
(They often are) He also makes a proviso that if this crowd
Beautiful, but dead scared, bruises her, it cannot be compared to what she
Tousled - we roughed her up has experienced before. The persona also
A little, nothing much speaks about a last assault and battery to come.
He justifies this last assault by calling it justice,
And not the first time and it is justice that feels not only right, but
By any means good. The crowd's 'justice' is placed on hold by
She'd felt men's hands the interruption of a preacher, who stops to talk
Greedy over her body – to the lady. He squats on the ground and writes
But ours were virtuous, something that the crowd cannot see.
Of course. Essentially, the preacher judges them, thereby
allowing the lady to also judge the crowd,
And if our fingers bruised leading to the crowd inevitably judging itself.
Her shuddering skin, The crowd walks away from the lady, still
These were love-bites, compared holding stones [which can be seen as a
To the hail of kisses of stone, metaphor for judgments] that can be thrown
The last assault another day.
And battery, frigid rape,
To come
Of right.
LITERARY DEVICES
For justice must be done 1. SARCASM
Specially when The persona is making the point that the lady
It tastes so good. was in fact NOT decent looking.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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, LITERAL MEANING
2.the air ran blue as the flowers; I held my breath, An adult is reminiscing about a traumatic childhood
2.two birds on golden legs slim as dream experience. The persona went hunting and shot two
things 2.ran like quick silver on the 1.golden sand, birds, plovers. He suffers extreme guilt about this
my gun went off, they ran with broken wings into action in adulthood. The poem describes the event,
the sea, I ran to fetch them in, but they swam with the actions of the bird, how he reacts, and, by the
their heads high out to sea, They cried like two last line, asks the birds to forgive his guilt.
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 LITERARY DEVICES
other plovers were going over south on silver wings 1.METAPHOR
leaving these broken two. The cries went out one
day; but I still hear them over all the sounds of Line 4: The nature of frost is that it covers
sorrow 5.in war or peace I ever have heard, time everything in its path, therefore, when the
cannot 6.drown them, 1.Those slender flutes of flowers are compared to frost, it implies that
sorrow never cease, 3.Two airy things forever there were a lot of flowers, enough to hide
denied the air! I never knew how their lives at last the boy from the birds.
were split, but I have hoped for years all that is
wild,
Airy, and beautiful will forgive my guilt.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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 LITERAL MEANING
When he approached them in 6.white linen-linen This poem tells the tale of old LeBrun, a man that
suit, was rumoured by the townspeople to be a
Pink glasses, cork hat and 2.tap-tapping cane, loupgarou. Old women would relax under eaves
3.A dying man licensed to sell sick fruit, and gossip about Le Brun, while literally shutting
Ruined by fiends with whom he'd made a bargain. him out of their lives with their closing windows.
It seems one night, these 4.Christian witches said, The prevailing gossip, in this poem, is that he
He changed himself into an 7.Alsatian hound, transformed into a hound one night, but was dealt
A slathering lycenthrope, hot on a scent, a wound by his own watchman. He then lugged
1.But his own watchman dealt the thing a wound his entrails back to his doorstep, almost dead.
Which howled and lugged its entrails, trailing wet
With blood back to its doorstep, almost dead.
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.
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.
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. If
like dresses - homeface, you think of how often a woman changes
officeface, streetface, hostface her dress, then that is how often the persona
cocktail face, with all their 2.conforming smiles like adjusts his personality to suit the people
a fixed portrait smile. around him. The list of faces that follow
this line emphasizes this point.
And I have learned, too. Stanza 4, lines 23-24 compares people's
to laugh with only my teeth faces to smiles in a portrait. If you think
and shake hands without my heart about a portrait, it is usually very formal
I have also learnt to say, 'Goodbye', and stiff, even uncomfortable. Therefore,
when I mean 'Good-riddance' ; the implication is that the smiles are
to say 'Glad to meet you', actually fake and stiff. They are
without being glad; and to say 'It's been conforming, or trying to fit, to a
nice talking to you', after being bored. preconceived mold that is set up by societal
expectations.
But believe me, son.
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!
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.
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
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.
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 Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802
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.
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
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.
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
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.
*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
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.
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 instructor said,
2. REPETITION
This repetition emphasizes the profound impact that Harlem, New York, has had on the personality of the
persona.
* 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'
TONE
The tone of the poem is also reflective.
THEMATIC CATEGORIZATION
Racism, places
West Indies, U.S.A - Literature Notes
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.
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, LITERAL MEANING
1.and march the streets of Birmingham The poem is about about a mother who loses her
in a freedom march today? child. The child made a request to attend a freedom
march through the streets of Birmingham, but the
1.'No, baby, no, you may not go, mother said no. She feared the many violent things
for the dogs are fierce and wild, that could befall her child in this setting. She,
and clubs and hoses, guns and jails however, agreed that the child could attend church.
ain't good for a little child.' She was content with the knowledge that her child
was safely at church, until an explosion saw her
'But mother, I won't be alone. racing through the streets of Birmingham to find her
Other children will go with me, child. She did not find her, but instead, found a foot
1.and march the streets of Birmingham of shoe in the rubble.
to make our country free.'
LITERARY DEVICES
1.'No baby, no, you may not go, 1. REPETITION
for I fear those guns will fire.
But you may go to church instead, The purpose of the child's repetition of
and sing in the children's choir.' where she wants to go and why, is to
contextualize the poem. The reader is made
She has combed and brushed 2. her night dark hair, aware that the poem is set in Birmingham
and 2. bathed rose petal sweet, during the civil rights movement. The
and drawn white gloves on her small brown hands, repetition is for emphasis of this fact.
and white shoes on her feet. The mothers repetition of no, highlights her
fear of the harmful things that could happen
The mother smiled to know her child to her child. Note that after each no, she
was in the sacred place, lists possible harmful things that could
but that smile was the last smile occur if the child goes on the freedom
to come upon her face. march.
For when she heard the explosion,
2. METAPHOR
her eyes grew 4.wet and wild.
She 5.raced through the streets of Birmingham
calling for her child. The comparison of the darkness of the
child's hair to night is purely to emphasize
She 6. clawed through bits of glass and brick, how black the persona's daughters hair is.
then lifted out a shoe. The comparison of her sweet smell, after
'O, here's the shoe my baby wore, her bath, emphasizes the care that went into
but, baby, where are you? 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.
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.
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.
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.