Analysis Of Toni Morrison's When Language Dies

In regards to Toni Morrison’s piece, When Language Dies, I thought the parable about the old, black, blind woman and the bird was extremely thought-provoking. When the adolescents first confronted the woman in her home and asked her the question whether the bird was alive or dead, I put myself in a position where I was as vulnerable to visualize see if an object was living or dead. I had not put much thought into whether the bird was alive or not, rather, I just figured that through the sense of touch one could make the assumption whether it was alive or not. However, when Morrison began to make the connection with the bird and language I was taken aback by the parallels. While I did find the text to be a bit confusing, considering the level

Whether it is to stay alive, it is your decision. Whatever the case, it is your responsibility”. I think that this is a valid assertion. I agree that whatever society possess, in this case, Morrison makes the argument of language, that it is our sole responsibility to preserve it and keep it living. If we, collectively, as a society decide that we will not let outside factors influence our ability to keep this language “alive” then perhaps the problem isn’t as grave as Morrison describes it to be. Moreover, Morrison’s description of how language is unable to “pin down” or explain events like “genocide or slavery” is a bit confusing to me. Throughout the piece, she discusses the power of language and why it is of utmost importance to tend to it, however, if it is so powerful then why does it not have the ability and power to describe those terrible actions? Finally, I think that Morrison ends her piece in an eloquent matter by relating back to the blind, black woman and the bird story. The reader can recognize that the once doubtful teenagers who decided to prove the old woman wrong at the beginning of the story, now believe and accept the wisdom that she has given them throughout the course of the

Without a doubt, all the poems contain an immense amount of imagery which helps the reader analyze the poem and better understand the context and place that the poet wants the reader to be in. “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke specifically drew my attention, because of the title. The imagery that Roethke utilizes allows the reader to visualize the annoyance of the mother as the dad drunkenly waltzes with the child. Although it is a fairly short poem, the story it depicts is vivid and relatable. I also found it interesting that three out of four of the poems are family related, specifically, they are about fathers. I found O’Hara’s poem, “The Day Lady Died”, a bit confusing to understand. The poet describes one action followed by another, however, I seemed to get lost in the middle of the poem, because there was so much going on. I really had to break the poem down into sections so that I could clearly understand what O’Hara was trying to tell in the