Poetry from different Cultures
Essay Describing Devices Used in 'Blessing' When we read poems, very few people actually take in the devices used and make sense of the way the poet uses them and still fewer people take the time to decipher why the poet has used that specific device in that specific place. The devises often have hidden meanings, and are used to make the poem flow better. In this essay, I will be describing, analysing and evaluating why and how Imtiaz Dharker has used the devices she has incorporated into the 'Blessing'. The title of the poem alone, 'Blessing' is a strong word which could mean that what happens in the poem is special, almost like a miracle, which helps set the mood of this poem very early on. The first line, 'The skin cracks like a pod' is not only an effective simile, but it's a way of setting the scene and cultural aspects of the poem as the first image of a pod that comes to mind is a cocoa pod, which cracks in the sun's heat or is cracked open to get to the cocoa beans. The cocoa pod is from somewhere like Africa. In the second line, the way the words are placed really emphasises the word 'never' as it catches you out when reading out loud. You would normally say that phrase as 'is never', but in this poem, to emphasize the rhythm and the word 'never' the sentence is 'never is'. In the second stanza, onomatopoeia plays a fairly big part, taking over 3 words, 'drip',
Comparing Search for my Tongue and Half-Caste
Comparing "Search for my Tongue" and "Half-Caste" The poems "Search for my Tongue" and "Half-Caste" both use style and language to reflect the meaning of the poems. "Search" is about a girl is afraid she is losing her native language of Indian, while "Half" is about a man is fed up of being called "half-caste" because he is of mixed race. In "Search" another language is used - the poets mother tongue of Indian. The structure of the poem reflects how important the language is to the girl, as it is placed in the middle, to show it is central to her life. Although another language is used, the reader can still read the poem aloud due to the phonetic translations beneath the Indian script. On the other hand, it is not a foreign language that is used in "Half", but a dialect. By combining his native Caribbean dialect with Standard English words, the poet is showing that it is also his accent he is discriminated against. There is no punctuation used in the poem to enable the reader to choose when to pause - this could results in different people reading the poem in different ways. I think that the style in which both poems are written conveys a journey with a positive ending. The girl in "Search" realises that her mother tongue is always with her, and the man in "Half" is welcoming the reader to come back for more if they do so open mindedly. Similarly, both poems start with
The way in which Hamlet, Fortinbras, and Laertes enact their revenge shows the readers how each characters personality differs although they all have shared love for their fathers.
"Hamlet" Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is considered to be one of the greatest tragedies of all time. During the play, one of the prevalent themes was that of revenge in response to the death of the character's fathers. The way in which Hamlet, Fortinbras, and Laertes enact their revenge shows the readers how each character's personality differs although they all have shared love for their fathers. The hero of this tragedy, Hamlet, has the most complex relationship with his father. During the play, Hamlet and his father are never both seen alive together. The play opens with Hamlet listening to his father's speech as a ghost. After Hamlet Sr.'s speech, Hamlet tells the audience about his plan to avenge his father. From this statement, the readers are able to realize the genuine love Hamlet Jr. has for his father. I found it interesting that Shakespeare included certain details about Hamlet that would lead the readers to make certain judgments about his character and personality. What sets Hamlet apart from the other characters is his approach to finding his father's murderer. Instead of going on a witch-hunt for the murderer, Hamlet rationalizes everything his father has told him and has the desire to find more evidence before jumping to conclusions. From this, I could tell that Hamlet was a logical person who analyzed every decision he made. This character trait makes Hamlet one
A case of murder.
A Case of Murder Critical Essay 'A case of murder' by Vernon Scannell is a poem I have been reading recently in class. In this essay I will be writing a short summary of the poem, describing how the boy is objectifying the cat, explaining the writers use of repetition and also looking at the boy. I thought the poem was interesting as the poet wrote it in a way so your expectations are played with and it is very unpredictable. My favourite part of the poem was towards the end when the poet is describing how the boy is haunted by what he has done because it is very effective and a good end to the poem. The poem 'A Case of Murder' was written by Vernon Scannell in narrative form. This poem is about a boy who is only nine years old and is left alone with a cat in his parent's basement flat. The cat for many reasons annoys the boy and the poet shows this clearly in the poem. In the end, the boy couldn't stand the cat and hits it with his fathers stick. After he then killed the cat by snapping it in the door he hides it in the cupboard under the stairs and then, possibly realizing what he has done, starts to cry. Some years later he thinks that the cat is one day going to come back to life and is haunted by this. This poem is told in the third person and the main themes are neglect, cruelty to animals, fear and guilt. As the poem goes on, the boy is increasingly more
Creative writing.
GCSE English Coursework Creative writing As a child I would come here all the time, but as time went by I didn't go as often, until eventually I stopped going. Some of my best memories were here with my brothers and friends. I particularly liked the playing fields, where we would play football. Sometimes I would visualise myself playing for Manchester United. On a cold and dark evening, I came back and I looked around; a lot of things had changed. It was as if time was running out: the sand glass having only a few grains of sand left, before time ran out. Nature was dying. The insects and other bugs had died out and all that was left was a barren wasteland. Only the man-made structures stood. The trees and bushes had lost their leaves and all that was left something that looked as though it had been dried up in a desert. The branches had become arms with clawed fingers: sometimes they would deliberately scare the children. The old tree was still there, but it wasn't the way I remembered it. The bark had come off to reveal a sinister smile. A strong gale blew through, brushing my face. It sent a chill down my body. It made and eerie noise like a wolf howling under the midnight moon. Noisily it explored, picking up rubbish and hurling amber leaves around. I sat down on one of the old swings, remembering of the times I had as child. They were moving by
How has the relationship between Ralph and Jack changed?
How has the relationship between Ralph and Jack changed? Mubasher Rafique Chapter 1: The relationship between Ralph and Jack was about honesty early in the book when Jack first enters the story he asks calmly, "Where's the man with the trumpet?" and finds Ralph and respects him because he had blown the conch, therefore creating the new leadership structure on the island. From the moment Golding introduces Jack into the group he describes him as somebody who loves to be in control and to have power. The boys on the island attempt to bring order to the island and the new situation they are in by electing a chief. Ralph is elected chief instead of Jack and Piggy. Jack, who was the most likely leader, had a "blush of mortification" when Ralph was elected chief. Ralph sensed that he needed to calm down Jack's need for power and did this by telling Jack, "The choir belongs to you." Ralph seems to trust Jack and to show how friendly their relationship is he gives power over the choir to Jack. There is a joint respect between the two of them and Jack says that the choir will keep the signal fire burning and will also do the hunting for the group. Another of Ralph's first decisions as chief was to explore their surroundings to find out if they were on an island. On this exploration the relationship doesn't change that much from when they first met because of the little time between
How does Shakespeare present the character of Hamlet?
How Does Shakespeare Present The Character Of Hamlet? The mastery of Shakespeare in depicting his characters is shown in a way that they seem to dominate the spectre of stage, as well as enthralls their audience in captivating mood from the beginning of the play until its climax. The character of Hamlet has perhaps engraved the name of Shakespeare in the realms of English Literature, as this character alone has succeeded in capturing a variety of moods. Hamlet has also mastered the roles of equally different people, their feelings, sentiments and depiction of an equally varied number of situations in an individual's life. The following essay will however limit its discussion on the specific methods used by Shakespeare in order to present Hamlet, and strive to include this character in a different historical perspective. Hamlet's character is observed to make a gradual progression from one that respects and follows a moral order in life to one who is full of revenge. Right from the beginning of the play, Hamlet encounters his father's ghost, saying "To cast thee up again. What does this mean?" the encounter revealing to him that the latter was murdered by his own brother and Hamlet's uncle Claudius. This is also the moment in the play which perhaps serves as the turning point, and also a change in directions for Hamlet as he takes it upon himself to avenge his father's
How does Shakespeare in Act One create an atmosphere of uncertainty & duplicity
How does Shakespeare in Act One create an atmosphere of uncertainty & duplicity? "Tush! Never tell me...thou, Iago, who hast had my purse/ As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this." Ingeniously Shakespeare captivates the audience's attention immediately. The audience are propelled into a conversation exposing one man's disbelief regarding news he has received, that is yet to be divulged to the audience. Tension is aroused from the very start, stimulating an atmosphere of uncertainty, spawning a hungry desire for the audience to uncover Roderigo's misfortune. Roderigo asserts that Iago has had a free reign with his money, his unsettled manner is directed at Iago. Thus, Shakespeare has contrived the introductory scene to foreshadow Iago's character as a treacherous swindler. Moreover, Roderigo must have had a generous amount of faith in Iago to confide and trust him with his money. It remains ambiguous at the beginning of Act One as to whether or not Iago and Roderigo are close companions or business associates discussing a deal, or a mutual arrangement of some sort involving money. Subsequently, the audience learns of Iago's passionate loathing for a character who is talked about in sarcastic and bitter undertones. Throughout Iago's speech he makes reference to him: 'make me his lieutenant,' 'Off-capped to him,' and 'But
Autobiography - creative writing.
GCSE English Coursework Autobiography "Mistress teacher," - the words would normally conjure up the image of a lady, a teacher. If my memory serves me well, the portrait of the person who took care of me and my sister in our preschool years was not what you'd call "a lady", or a teacher. She was a woman, though, and she did teach us. That autumn morning my mother introduced a new character to me and my sister's lives. The lady was in her late fifties, with blonde long hair and an evilly wrinkled face. Her smile looked mean, as if all we were was merely another bridge to her financial stability. Her name? She didn't have any, maybe because it was too silly or degrading to her severe notoriety as "Mistress teacher". That was what we called her, or at least what we had to call her. I will be forever grateful to her for teaching me how to read, write, speak and sing. Some incidents of that time, though, have gained their merit to be mentioned over the years, however horrifying they might have seemed then, they are now entertaining memories. It was early in the morning and my sister and I were washing our hands in the bathroom. Our mother had taught us the routine and everything appeared to make sense: rub the soap in your hands, yes, cover the wrists too, make sure all the dirt is gone and then wash with water until the hands are not slippery. Mistress teacher thought that
Follower by Seamus Heaney
Follower Seamus Heaney The follower is written by the Irish poet Seamus Heaney, the poem is about the poets love and admiration for his father. The poem is also about the changes that occur between father and children as children move out from their parent's shadow. We learn a lot about both the relationship that existed between them and the way Heaney saw his family. In the first half of the poem Heaney presents us with a vivid portrait of his father as he appeared to the poet as a young boy. The poet, as a young boy, follows his father as he goes about his work and like most boys, he idolises his father and admires his great skill, ` an expert` with the horse-plough and Heaney as a little boy would simply get in his fathers way. In the poem, Heaney looks up to his father in a physical sense, because he is so much smaller than his father, but he also looks up to him in a metaphorical sense. This is made clear by the poet's careful choice of words. 'His eye narrowed and angled at the ground, mapping the furrows exactly.' These words effectively suggest his father's skill and precision. We are also told that young Heaney 'stumbled in his hob-nailed wake,' which brings to our mind a picture of the ploughman's heavy boots, the carefully ploughed furrow and the child's clumsy enthusiasm. The poet uses onomatopoeic words to capture the details of his father as he works the
