Part of The Student Room Group

  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

Compare the ways in which contrast is used in Someone and Two scavengers in a truck, Two beautiful people in a Mercedes

Extracts from this document...

Introduction

Compare the ways in which contrast is used in 'Someone' and 'Two scavengers in a truck, Two beautiful people in a Mercedes' In the two poems 'Someone' and 'Two scavengers in a truck, Two beautiful people in a Mercedes', both O' Driscoll and Ferlinghetti share similarities, in the way in which they write. Both writers use contrast, to explore everyday scenes, to help them understand the universal ideas of general life, and how they may be affected by certain factors. Firstly, in the poem 'Someone', O' Driscoll starts the poem with the line, '...dressing up for death'. This suggests that the 'Someone', is getting ready for the day ahead of them. Death doesn't even cross their mind. They believe that they are getting ready for their day, and the plans they have. This contrasts the themes of, life and death as they don't realise that they are 'dressing up for death'. Additionally it suggests that death is a special occasion, by the words 'dressing up', as a lot of people like to dress up for special occasions. In addition, the phrase 'dressing up', and 'death' link in with each other, as when a person dies the body is dressed up to be placed in a coffin which sets an uneasy and anxious tone for the reader. ...read more.

Middle

However, there are many contrast between the two pairs. To begin with the main contrast , is that one pair work as garbage men, and the other pair have a cleaner and more advanced job as there is a phrase in 'Two scavengers...', 'on the way to his architect's office' which clearly shows this. They are dressed in different ways, as the garbage men are wearing 'red plastic blazers'. The man in the more elegant couple is wearing 'a hip three-piece linen suit', and the woman is wearing 'a short skirt and coloured stockings'. Linen here is a more expensive and softer which contrasts plastic which is more uncomfortable and cheap but more functional which agrees with the garbage men's job. Linen and plastic are both opposites. In addition, both couples have different life lifestyles; however the garbage men are needed more in the democracy. Many people would expect the bin men to be looking up at the elegant and rich couple, but it is the opposite in this poem as it seems as the bin men are looking down on the rich and elegant couple. ...read more.

Conclusion

It makes the reader think that they may be the same in someway, even though they have clear differences. However the structure and the techniques in the poems are different. In the poem 'Someone' O' Driscoll keeps a normal structure by placing the lines beneath each other as most poems usually are. However, in the poem 'two scavengers in a truck, Two beautiful people in a Mercedes' Ferlinghetti spreads the lines across the page and doesn't have a simple structure to it like the poem 'Someone' does. To conclude, both poets do explore the universal ideas of life thoroughly which evolves the readers knowledge, of the themes of the poem further. O' Driscoll explores the ideas of everyday scenes, which a lot of people go through to get ready for life, however the true outcome of the day would be death, which the reader would sympathise with as they would know that the everyday actions the 'someone' is doing is useless. Ferlinghetti explores the universal ideas of life too, and contrasts two couples in the same democracy. He contrasts the fact that not everybody is equal, even if they are in the same democracy. These contrasts that both poets use help the reader understand the universal ideas further and how they may be affected. ?? ?? ?? ?? ...read more.

The above preview is unformatted text

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Comparing poems section.

Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

or


Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

See related essaysSee related essays

Related GCSE Comparing poems essays

  1. Peer reviewed

    Compare the methods used to make a protest through poetry in two scavengers and ...

    4 star(s)

    It highlights the invisible divide between the two cultures. It is meant to be equal now however the black people realize that the white people don't want them and 'know where they belong.' Afrika uses himself in first person to speak for the whole group using the word 'we'.

  2. Peer reviewed

    How do the poets present people in Vultures and Two scavengers in a truck, ...

    4 star(s)

    Ironically, although we are repulsed by the juxtaposition of human and rough, we see the love he shows in buying his children chocolate to eat.

  1. Compare and Contrast the poems

    This creates the image of a cold-hearted woman but as soon as you get to know that black woman a bit better you that she is as loving and caring, sometimes more than a white woman. This poem is expressing the pain of black women and that it should no longer carry on.

  2. Use the concept of transculturation to explore 'Our Sister Killyjoy' and 'Nervous Conditions.'

    She is aware of her difference from the very start of her travels and 'once on board, she is politely shown to the back of the plane, in order not to upset the racist sensibilities of the White South African passengers.12' This is followed by her arrival at the station

  1. Compare and contrast To His Coy Mistress(TM) and The Passionate Shepherd to His Love(TM)

    It exaggerates and is there to convince the woman he loves her. Furthermore the speaker suggests as a synthesis that she should sleep with him before it's too late "time's winged chariot hurrying near" and 'then worms shall try that long preserv'd virginity'.

  2. Discuss Merle Hodge'S Crick Crack Monkey As a Novel

    from which to launch a defense." The novel shows that the children have to go to Aunt Beatrice's place in order to obtain the proper education and Tantie has to let the children live with Aunt Beatrice. In a way she knows that the colonial education and system is all that matters to succeed in the world.

  1. Both `Two scavengers in a Truck, Two Beautiful people in a Mercedes` and `What ...

    However in `Two scavengers` the layout is used for effect as the gap between the lines tries is used to create the effect that there is a big gap between the social classes in America and Ferlinghetti believes that this social class gap is getting bigger and is shown as

  2. Compare the ways people are presented in Vultures with the ways people are presented ...

    It suggests the couple are untouched by real life, just passing through; in contrast with the smelly garbage men. Despite the stop light holding them ?as if anything all were possible? it will turn to green in an instant and they will be rushing their separate ways.

  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work