Poem Analysis

Jeremy1234 — Mon, 12 May 2008 11:36:50 GMT

Hey guys, i neeed help for proof reading my little assesment, at the top is the poem and the two paragrpahs below is the analysis. ill be glad to some comments~ Thank You~ Everyone <3 you all

1st paragraph: Identify important elements of the poem such as subject,form structure and style

2nd paragraph: Analyze the two or three most important literary features/poetic devices and explain its effect

A RED, RED ROSE

Robert Burns

O my Luve is like a red, red rose

Thatâs newly sprung in June;

O my Luve is like the melody

Thatâs sweetly played in tune.

So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,

So deep in luve am I;

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

Till aâ the seas gang dry.

Till aâ the seas gang dry, my dear,

And the rocks melt wiâ the sun;

I will love thee still, my dear,

While the sands oâ life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only luve!

And fare thee weel awhile!

And I will come again, my luve,

Though it were ten thousand mile.

A Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns is a unique free verse poem. The author used the poem to express his yearn towards a woman. There were only two people in this poem, the author himself and the woman heâs in love with. Thereâs no truth in the story, however he used modified scenes comparing to his situation, at line eight, nine and ten.âTill aâ the seas gang dry. Till aâ the seas gang dry, my dear, and the rocks melt wiâ the sun.â There were no events happening in the story, just a man expressing his feeling when heâs in love. The main object was a rose, you can know it by the title of the poem, and the text where the author was comparing her love one to rose. The author seemed to be addicted to love, or strongly affected by it, and you can know it by the tone of the poem.

There are many literary features in the poem, perhaps one of the most symbolic ones are simile and hyperbole. âO my Luve is like a red, red roseâ This is a simile used in the first verse of the poem, it is effective because he compared the womanâs beauty to a rose. Another simile is used âO my Luve is like the melody, thatâs sweetly played in tune.â the author is comparing her love to a melody, a melody usually makes people joyful, so his love is making him joyful whenever she is beside him. Hyperbole can be found at the last sentence âAnd I will come again, my luve,

Though it were ten thousand mile.â Ten thousand miles is really hard to travel, but this is effective because it shows how much the author misses and loves her.

I HEAR AMERICA SINGING

Walt Whitman

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,

Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,

The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,

The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,

The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,

The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,

The wood-cutterâs song, the ploughboyâs on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,

The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,

Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,

The day what belongs to the dayâat night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,

Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

I hear from America Singing by Walt Whitman is a free verse poem. The author shows the life of the labor workers. The workers in America were all working and singing together to achieve their common goal. In my opinion this poem has a deeper meaning to it, everyday on news itâs all violence, stocks, and finance. Whitman was trying to alert how people was distracted, and lost their original pure personality. As you can see the events happening in the story, each type of worker were singing their own song, by looking at the last line, âsinging with open mouths their strong melodious songs.âThe poem singing sons mean they were cheerful, and contented in life.

There are no literary terms used in this poem, but this song will be more effective without literary devices. Whitman hopes this poem to be pure and original, so he didnât adding any literary devices. Even though this poem is not written with any poetic devices, itâs still beautiful written.

Cornel West Race Matters

Bones — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 03:41:59 GMT

Lonnie Jones

Instructor: Gina Fournier

Composition 1520

11 February 2007

West Matters: A Review of Cornel Westâs Race Matters

The subject of race relations in the United States is no new topic. The matter of relationships between races dates back to the 17^th century when the first settlers arrived and were met and sometimes conflicted with the indigenous peoples. Race is now and will continue to be a subject of heated discussion because of the democratic and emigrational policies of the United States. The fact that race is a sensitive issue makes sense in a nation that by design is comprised of many races. Today the debate on race in the United States centers on Afro-American Caucasian relations, not to negate the grievances of Latino and Asian peoples have become a larger part of the fray. At one time or another, every ethnic group who has migrated to this country in any great number has faced similar discrimination from those who were here before and somehow feel entitled to this land. For instance during the mass migration of the Irish people during the Irish potato famine (1846-1849) many were unwelcome because of the fear that they would take the jobs of the residents already living here. Today, the same attitude is held by some Americans concerning the immigration of Latinos from Mexico and the rest of South America.

Race affects every person in this nation and no one is a racist simply for being aware of the fact. Whether the intent is positive or negative, the overt and surreptitious effect of race is always present. For this reason, there is no shortage of opinions on the issue and those opinions range from live and let live to extremist hate. With all of the opinions held on race relations, one person who offers some insight and thought provoking observations on the topic is Cornel West. In his book Race Matters (Vintage Books Inc., 1993, 159 pgs.) he examines not only the state of race relations in this country, but also some causes for the thinking that perpetuates the cycle of distrust and trepidation. The book offers some of the most intelligent, concise and controversial commentary on race to date.

Race Matters is not just another summation of race relations in this country. One of the main reasons this book differs from others is that West does not allow his membership in the African-American race to hinder his view. Additionally, he ignores the prevailing concept of political correctness and speaks freely. This book is an insight into many of the stereotypes, misconceptions and clashes caused by race. By bringing to light the inadequacies and failings of all races and peoples involved in this predicament, he manages to produce an engaging and astute piece of work. He accomplishes his task by two methods; the first is the examination of race from multiple angles. By discussing race in a historical, social, sexual and political sense, he is able to produce some uncommon assessments on the ever-fluctuating state of race relations in the United States. The second method West uses is the addition of a forward for each chapter. The short one to two paragraph pieces are the works of such as James Baldwin, Malcolm X, Richard Wright and Toni Morrison. These forwards seem to iterate the intent of each chapter and also bring a sense of community to the thoughts of West and the book as well.

Race Matters offers no clemency to the reader who is looking to skim the surface of the subject. This book requires hip-waders as the reader is compelled to go deeper into their own feelings on race as they progress through the chapters. West brings to the forefront the matters of race, sex and politics that many chose to ignore. He does not leave out the words, sentences or accusations that might offend the reader. To Westâs view it seems there is no time left for niceties, there is no time insinuation. The subject matter in which he chooses to delve does not reciprocate a polite approach. West is known for provoking readers with his works, and does not fail here. Even the chapter titles of the book show a sense of severity, with titles like âThe Pitfalls of Racial Reasoningâ, âBeyond Affirmative Action: Equality and Identityâ and âBlack Sexuality: The Taboo Subjectâ West shows that he is serious in his views and assessments. Each chapter tackles and wrestles to the ground another thorny subject in race relations and the state of African-American culture in the United States. In particular, on subject of the prevailing wave of nihilism among poor black Americans, West illustrates what he sees as the incorrect approaches to the problem and his theory on why the proposed solutions have not worked. He rebuffs both the conservative and liberal views on the issue, which stand in affirmative action programs on the left and black business expansion on the right. West sees this kind of thinking as simplistic and separate of the real problem. To West, the real issue is nihilism itself. West explains, âThis threat is not simply a matter of relative economic depravation and political powerlessness, though economic well-being and political clout are requisite for meaningful black progress. It is primarily a question of speaking to the profound sense of psychological depression, personal worthlessness, and social despair so widespread in black America.â To simplify his thoughts, temporary social and economic programs can do little when those they are intended for are suffering from the psychological effects of a historical and systematic exclusion from the âAmerican Dreamâ. Statements such as this are what is compelling about the book, it quickly goes below the surface of the subject to get to the actual causes of the problems. By doing so, the true remedies appear within reach.

Although short in the number of pages, Race Matters does not suffer from its length. With biting commentary and an almost plain style, he manages to get his point across with very few questions left unanswered. West places the majority of blame for the dire state of affairs concerning race on the established majority and the implementation of systematic discriminatory practices. However, he does not see the victims of these practices as free of blame either. West believes the manner of thinking and behavior of not all, but those disenfranchised people who recognize the crisis and refuse to offer themselves to a dramatic change in thought, are to blame as well. To Westâs view, persons who know there is a problem with their way of life and are reluctant to address the predicament deserve no less blame than those persons who have worked to create the obstacles. He appears to be speaking primarily to those persons who chose to disregard the benefits education and the obvious actions necessary to generate a stable lifestyle. West states, âMy aim is not to provide excuses for black behavior or to absolve blacks of personal responsibility.â West places some of the blame where he believes some of the blame belongs. The fact that there are avenues to achieve a better lifestyle is common knowledge, and it is up to the individual to pursue them.

The ideas and statements put forth by West in this book and others are in part a product of his upbringing and his own attitude toward life. He is by any account an overachiever and has practiced what he preaches for most of his life. As the son of middle-class parents who were at times still relegated to living in the poor and segregated parts of town, he had the unique view to observe what was possible and what was probable. What was possible were of both of his parents, and what was probable was the somewhat degraded lifestyle seen in many of his neighbors homes. His mother, Irene, was an educator and has an elementary school named for her in Sacramento where West grew up. His father, Clifton Jr., was a civilian air force administrator at a time when many other people of color in the country worked not with their minds but with tools. West saw the value as well as the effects of education. He was a distinguished student early in his high school career and student body president in his junior and senior years. West attended Harvard University where he graduated magna cum laude in 1973. West also earned a both a Masters and a Doctoral degree from Princeton University. In addition, he holds more than 20 honorary degrees from institutions such as The College of New Rochelle, and has also won the American Book Award. He is currently a professor at Princeton University but frequently appears for speaking engagements and radio commentary such as The Tavis Smiley Show on The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).

Some of Westâs other publications include the sequel to Race Matters, Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism (2005), as well as The Future of the Race (1996, with Henry Louis Gates Jr.), Africa: The Art of a Continent (1996), Struggles in the Promised Land: Toward a History of Black-Jewish Relations in the United States (1997, with Jack Salzman). This small list only represents a sample of his many published works dealing directly with subjects including race relations, governmental role and powers, social equality and rampant capitalism in the western world.

Race Matters was first published in 1993, one year after the riots in Los Angeles. At the time race relations were at tense to say the least. In 1992, the city of Los Angeles exploded in a riot resulting from the acquittals of officers of the LAPD who were seen to beat motorist Rodney King after a car chase. Fourteen years later, the material is still as relevant and as sharp as ever, Westâs evaluations have lost nothing to the time passed. If anything, the material is more important as it has held up through an anxious time in our countryâs history. Now that the riots have long past, tempers are cooler and thoughts more lucid, people may begin to re-examine this work without prejudices held before. One unfortunate reason for this reduction in racial tension is in part to the attack on our nation on September 11^th 2001 carried out by religious fundamentalists. The nation as a whole has been able to place its anger with a new real enemy as opposed to a perceived one. The Muslim fundamentalists who attacked The United States were uninterested in color or background, only Americans. In some ways the attack showed this nation that to others, we are in fact all the same. As before, the problems approached in this book are with us now as they are likely to be in one form or another in the future. They are just on hold for now, due to the more pressing issue of someone else hating us instead of us hating each other.

With the confidence and unorthodox views West provides, he is not short on supporters. Reviews of this work are for most part positive and in praise of the matter of fact writing and freethinking. He uses this book as he has used many of his others, to create a table for discussion. To open the lines of communication between all those involved. That being said, it would seem that his supporters are not nearly as vocal as his detractors are. In a Wall Street Journal review of Race Matters, editorial writer Matthew Rees not only reviews the book but also blasts Westâs philosophies at every turn, resigning his work as a whole as âvictim-driven thinkingâ and âhyperboleâ.

Writing with an undoubted conservatism and contempt for Westâs ideas of what is necessary for the growth of better race relations and more equal opportunity; Rees takes a closed-minded view of the work. For all of the wrong he finds with the book the last line of his review makes Westâs point best. Rees states, West âcorrectly recognizes that economic and cultural advancement do not necessarily go hand in hand, but does not comprehend that advancement on both fronts is most likely to be achieved not through more government intervention, but instead through stable family units that emphasize thrift, responsibility and hard work.â This statement is a paraphrase of many points raised in the book. One of the underlying tones of Race Matters is that advancement of any kind rests with the person or persons looking to progress. Rees helps to bring to light Westâs assessment of the conservative view on race relations, specifically, the lack of thought and the ability to see the problem at its core. By Reesâ thinking if only the African American people would change, so would their situation. The problem with this kind of thinking is there is no account for the racist practices and later laws that sought to drive these people into second-class citizenship.

Race Matters is another in a long line of books by West with a truly unique view on a subject of jaded contention: race. The prose he brings to the issue helps everyone to step back, take a deep breath and think about it again. Westâs style of writing can almost come across as an intelligent note sent by a close friend. The blunt and opinionated language helps to make the point and his feelings clear. While Race Matters may not have all of the answers to problem, West does not hesitate to offer those he does have. To his credit, West shows fully developed theories for his points and makes observations on the gritty facts missed or possibly avoided in other attempts. What he offers is a candid, well thought-out publication with valuable opinions and an eye toward the future of race relations in this country if there are to be any. The United States of America belongs to none of us; this nation began as a place for those who were not welcome anywhere else. The racial issues are a product of a failure to remember to principle idea of this nation, freedom.

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