MODULE II

⋇ Understanding the Elements of Poetry ⋇

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CHAPTER I – DENOTATIONS, CONNOTATIONS,
& IMAGERY

LESSON 1

Denotations and Connotations in Poetry

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Differentiate denotation from connotation.
Give the denotative and connotative meanings of some
poetic lines.
Discuss larger issues presented in the literary text.

BEFORE READING

A Poem by Angela Manalang-Gloria

ABOUT THE POEM

The poem, apparently, is about change. It talks about the things we love
and forget as we grow up.

MAKE CONNECTIONS

What do you do when you outgrow the things that you used to do and
like?

- As a developing human , changes in my personality really matter to me

because that can be a proof that I am developing and it’s a pleasure to
me that in some ways of my personality and characteristics , I have
outgrown . I cherish and embrace the changes I have because it can
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 also be a lesson to anyone that we don’t stay as what we are right now,
we can be a new version of ourself if we trust ourself and believe that
even it is a slow progress , its still a progress.

ANALYZE LITERATURE: Denotation and Connotation

Denotation is the dictionary, literal or direct meaning of the word or

phrase while connotation is the secondary, suggested or implied meanings
associated with the word beyond its dictionary definition. For example, the word
summer; its dictionary meaning is season or the warmer half of the year while its
connotative or implied meaning may be joy, youth, and growth. Another example,
the words home and house have similar denotations: a home is a shelter that is the
usual residence of a person, family, or household, and a house is a building in which
people live. However, for many, these terms carry different associations or
connotations. Many people would agree that home connotes a sense of belonging
and comfort, whereas house conveys little more than a structure.

It is important to note that words may have positive or negative

connotations that depend upon the social, cultural, and personal experiences of
individuals. For example, the words childish, childlike and youthful have the same
denotative, but different connotative, meanings. Childish and childlike have a
negative connotation, as they refer to immature behavior of a person. Whereas,
youthful implies that a person is lively and energetic.

Common Connotation Examples

Below are a few connotation examples. Their suggested meanings are

shaped by cultural and emotional associations:

➢ “He’s such a dog.” – In this sense, the word dog connotes shamelessness, or
ugliness.

➢ “That woman is a dove at heart.” – Here, the dove implies peace or gentility.

➢ “There’s no place like home.” – While

home may refer to the actual building
someone lives in, connotatively, it most
often refers to family, comfort, and
security.

➢ “My mom and dad worked hard to put me through college.” – The words
Mom and Dad, when used in place of mother and father, connote loving
parents, rather than simply biological parents.

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USE READING SKILLS: Differentiating Denotation and Connotation

Words carry cultural and emotional associations or meanings, in addition

to their literal meanings or denotations. As you read the poem below, identify the
denotative and connotative meanings of the following words or phrases by filling
in the Denotation-Connotation Chart.

Denotation-Connotation Chart

Word Denotation Connotation

To mature and
outgrow Growing too large
develop
To win over
overran invade
decisiveness
fun Nostalgic moments
childhood hours

A genre of painting or Possessing magical

fairy art a magical stories or supernatural
beings
To seize Overcoming your
ravish
strong emotion
Examines and delete Initiates morality
censored unnecessary
information
wildness Being out of mind
delirium

False god Having no glory and

golden calf
honor
A precious drug Obsessing yourself
on some things that
jewelled ecstasy
would probably
cause harms.

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 Changing Someone that is
fickle inconsistent and
unloyal
Harmful, deadly Decisions that would
Fatal lead you into failure
and uncertainty.
A lack on something Longingness of
someone who
bereft
already left in this
world
food strength
drink and bread

DURING READING

A Poem by Angela Manalang-Gloria

1I have outgrown them all, and one by one, Read aloud the poem. Who
Note the Facts
is the speaker? What is the
2 These loves I took so mightily to heart
speaker’s gender? Give
3 Before you came: the dolls that overran
words or lines to support
your answer.
5 My childhood hours and taught me fairy art; - The speaker of this
poem is a woman or
6 The books I ravished by the censored score:
a girl , because in the
7 Music that like delirium burned my days; fourth line that says
“MY childhood hours
8 The golden calf I fashioned to adore and taught me fairy
art” in denotative
9 When lately I forsook the golden phrase.
explanation , girls
are more fond of
fairy stories than
10 And thus I shall outgrow this love for you.
boys .
11 Sooner or later I shall put away
Analyze
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Use Reading Skills
12 This jewelled ecstasy for something new.
13 Brand me not fickle on that fatal day:
Denotation and Connotation
14 Bereft of change that is my drink and bread, Use the Denotation-
Connotation Chart to write the
15 I would not love you now. I would be dead. denotative and connotative
meanings of the underlined
Analyze Literature words and phrases.

The word loves in the second line refers to

A pleasure satisfaction of her in doing
things she love to and used to without
knowing that shes in fatal situation.

AFTER READING

Name: ETABAG , CHRISTINE MAE C. Subject: LIT111

Yr/Cr/Sec : 1 BSE-E Date : SEPTEMBER 19, 2022

READING CHECK

A. Read again the poem. Then give the denotative and connotative meanings of
the following lines.

1. the dolls that overran my childhood days

denotation: Her childhood life playing with her toys.
connotation: a moment of her life that she was filled with so much happiness
in doing the things she enjoyed.

2. the books I ravished

denotation: the books she stop reading.
connotation: a chapter of her life when she was filled with so much strong
emotion and eventually overcomed.

3. music that like delirium burned my days

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 denotation: the wildness brought to her by the music
connotation: Her days were full of excitement and enjoyment brought by the
the things she`s used to.

4. this jeweled ecstasy

denotation: a precious drug
connotation: The satisfaction she had when she was doing the things that she
unknowingly would cause harm to her.

5. drink and bread

denotation: food
connotation: strength

6. change
denotation: a state of being developed
connotation: being mature
B. Grasp the poem’s full implications and suggestions to answer the following
questions.

1. In the first stanza, what are the things that the speaker used to do and love?
Why do you think she left them? Give words or lines to support your answer.
- On my analysis about the poem entitled “ CHANGE” , the speaker was
so obsessed on the things she thought that would give her full
satistaction and when she realized that the things shes used to and
fond of will cause harm to her then she chose to change .
In the last line ”I would not love you now. I would be dead” could be
her conclusion about how dangerous and deadly if she stay to do the
things shes used to.
2. Did you love the same things the speaker did? Do you still love those things?
Why?
- We have different wrongdoings in the past but still could cause harm
to me . and honestly I hate myself for doing those but eventually I
realized that it is also worth it to be wrong because we can be able to
change and improve ourself.
-
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3. In the second stanza, what is the apprehension or fear of the speaker
- In the second stanza , the apprehension or fear of the speaker is can be
death.
4. What is the speaker’s “drink and bread”?
- The speakers drink and bread is the bereft of change.

5. Why does the speaker treasure “change” so much? What does it mean to her?
- The speaker treasure change so much because it is the thing she bereft
of . Finally having what we lack of is such a great opportunity and a
blessing to us , because a chance is an opportunity and there can be a
change.
6. If the poem is a call for understanding, would you understand and forgive the
speaker when that "fatal day" happens?
- Yes because somehow it can be serve as the lesson to the readers that
not all the things we love to do cant be risky, because nowadays
people are being complacent of their actions toward their self without
knowing that it could already cause harm to them.

THINK AND REFLECT

1. Are women really fickle? What about men? Can they be fickle, too?
- Humans are fickle and can be fickle whether it is a man or a
woman.
2. When do you feel most ‘grown up’ and able to handle anything? When do you
feel ‘young’ and unsure of yourself?

- I feel most grown up if I am doing the things that I am not able to before and I
am feeling young and unsure if I am thinking of life-plans in the present without
the consent of my parents.

3. How does change impact your emotion? Is it easy or difficult to accept? Does it
hurt? Does it make you happy, angry, or confused? Explain your answer.

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- for me change have a positive impact on my emotion because I know that
change will make us a better version of ourselves. If we want to be better then
we should accept that there would changes that might trigger our emotion.

4. What’s one change you would make that would give you more freedom and
inner peace?
- A change of my situation right now but I know change takes time and
if we wont force time and change we can be able to have a great
satisfaction and a change we deserve.

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