Paradise by Boey Kim Cheng

1. Make your own critical analysis of the poem.

- The meaning of the poem "Paradise" by Boey Kim Cheng is a vision of paradise lost, a
paradise that has been destroyed. But it also looks at how life continues after a disaster.
The poem opens with a lovely illustration of paradise as a haven of tranquility.
2. Criticize the poem either mimetic, expressive, objective, or pragmatic theories.
- Using his personal experiences as a way to relate to his readers, Boey Kim Cheng used
whatever resources he had at his disposal to shape his own conception of paradise. This
is demonstrated by pragmatic theory.
3. What are the viewpoints of the author in writing this poem?
- Boey Kim Cheng employs sea symbolism to represent life rather than using it as a way to
communicate love in accordance with traditional Chinese culture.

To a Friend by Matthew Arnold

1. Make your own critical analysis of the poem.

- The poem “To a friend” emphasizes the consequences of friendship, independence, and
absence. It challenges us to consider how we relate to others in life and how they
influence us. It sensitively investigates interpersonal connections by focusing on
people’s daily choices and responses.
2. Criticize the poem either mimetic, expressive, objective, or pragmatic theories.
- A good illustration of mimetic theory is Matthew Arnold’s poem To a friend. The first
section of the poem discusses the qualities of his friend, and the second section explains
why they should be friends since it demonstrates that appearances aren’t everything. It
is unbiased in that it presents the facts without favoring one side or the other.
4. What are the viewpoints of the author in writing this poem?
- Matthew Arnold examines the value of friendship and the differences between the
perspectives of a friend and a foe in the poem “To a friend.” His objectives to write from
the viewpoint of his friend, with whom he has a close relationship, are explained at the
beginning of the poem.