Safa Khan

8th Grade/ English Honors 1

Due: 04/29/21
Sr. Soofia

“Courage”- 10 bullet points/ class notes:

1. “Courage”, written by Anne Sexton in the late 1940s -50s, beautifully portrays the
stages of life and the hardships and courage needed to get through each of them
(child, young adult, middle age, and old [death])

2. This poem is written in chronological order, starting from the experiences and
struggles of childhood, then youth, middle age, and eventually old age. Anne writes
this poem in a way that appeals to the reader and makes them part of the story,
reminding the readers of their own experiences of these stages

3. In the first stanza of the poem, the speaker starts with the period of nonage in a
person’s life. Similes and Metaphors are used throughout the first stanza to elevate the
experiences and remind the reader of the courage it must have taken to accomplish
these benchmarks

4. Stanza 1 uses common childhood memories and benchmarks to promote the first
signs of courage. As children, we start with the first sign of courage, our first steps,
“The child's first step, as awesome as an earthquake.”. As we mature, we learn to ride
our bikes, experience our first taste of a scolding, and observe the difficulties of
communicating.

5. Stanza 2 goes on to a person's more complicated years, young adulthood. As young

adults, we learn more about ourselves, how to express our beliefs, and the real pains
and courage needed to live.

6. Stanza 2 depicts an understanding that as a young adult, one can defend themselves,
“You did not fondle the weakness inside you” This stanza goes on to show new aspects
of courage, the courage needed in relationships and independence
 7. As youthful years slowly come to an end and maturity kicks in, stanza 3 depicts the
courage needed in this stage. In the middle years of life, many trials have been
endured, courage has already been breaded into you. In our middle age, courage is
needed, trials and tragedies will occur that only you and you alone will be able to
overcome.

8. The tragedies and the courage needed to overcome these tragedies are discovered and
used in our middle ages, problems occur and with courage alone, transformation
occurs. “it woke to the wings of the roses/ and was transformed”

9. As old age slowly comes into life, and stanza 4 begins, life is slowly coming to an end.
The author shows how one begins to appreciate life and the time they have left, “and
you’ll bargain with the calendar”

10. Time will slowly come to an end, and accepting this part of life takes courage in itself,
accepting death does not come easily. When one learns to accept and live the last
moments to the fullest, “you’ll put on you your carpet slippers/ and stride out” The
last stanza shows our last struggle and need for courage.

Final Thoughts:
This poem was written by Anne Sexton effortlessly displays the stages of life and the courage
one faces through each of them. In each stage, the courage we need and the problems we face
seem to be the hardest yet, and as we advance from every stage, the courage we need builds upon
each other. Through our lives our viewpoints and values change with the problems and
experiences we face, making life at the end, a reason to “stride out” for.