Spring 08: Paper #1 Topic

TOPIC: Look closely at the poem you have chosen and identify the dominant tone (the author’s attitude) of the short story. Then set about answering how the author goes about achieving this tone. When writing this paper, you may find it helpful to discuss literary devices and techniques such as foreshadowing, irony, figurative language, narrative pace, etc. Please include a number of quotations to back up your answer.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:

1. Examine the language of the poem. Look up any words that seem important or unclear. How does the poem make use of the particular connotations of its words? Are there patterns of word choice (diction), such as language associated with religion or with everyday speech? What images and image patterns are prominent? What are the associations of these images? Do the images take on larger significance as symbols? What other metaphoric language contributes to the poem's meaning? Similes? Puns? Are there larger patterns of allegory or allusion?

2. How is the author using the form? How does the form suit the poet's intent? How does the form of the poem affect the meaning? How does the poet use the line and stanza breaks? What sound effects do you notice (alliteration, rhyming, etc.) and how do they fit the larger effects of the poem

3. Who is the speaker of the poem? How would you characterize the speaker? What is the tone of the poem? How does it change? Does it use irony? What techniques does the poet use to get this tone across? What is the relationship between the speaker and the audience? How does this relate to the message of the poem?

4. What are the main ideas, themes, or concepts in the poem? Does it have a point you could summarize? Does it set up a contrast or debate? If so does it resolve the debate somehow? How does this relate to the sense of closure in the poem? How do the other elements of the poem support or enhance this theme?