Ode To Dirt By Sharon Old Analysis
In the poem, “ Ode to Dirt,” Sharon Olds uses figurative language and specific word choice to detail her acceptance and apparent repentance of dirt. The author's attitude towards dirt evolves throughout the poem, words such as “slighted” that entail apologetic feelings soon change to words of awe and amazement. This creates an interesting poem based around dirt, the speaker makes an irrelevant object into an interesting subject. To start the poem, the speaker sets the stage with an apologetic tone, referring to how insignificant they previously perceived dirt to be, “ It's as if I had loved only the stars and not the sky that gave them space.” She realizes dirt's importance in the grand scheme of things, and begins to realize its grand importance.
In the short story “Bread and the Land” Allen uses metaphors to give the reader hints as to what the author is trying to convey with the characters such as Blunt, Hatch, or even the mother. The metaphors are used to give the reader more detail on the perspective of Hatch and how his relationship with his grandmother is complex. Allens choice of words such as similes gives the words he uses a greater effect given the context of the situation. The complexity of the relationship between the grandson and grandmother is staggering seeing as she had not been a part of her grandson's life for too long. The grandmother is confronted by her grandson when he exclaims to her that didn’t show up.
Readers have to read the whole selection to get to it and in the end it leaves them with a challenge. Good Old Dirt by David Montgomery appeals to most readers. He sets up this selection to relate to both a reader’s pathos and logos. As well as calls the reader to take action and trys to get them involved.
She uses similes when she is judging the stranger sitting in front of her and uses them to compare his appearance. She is observing his shoes and mentions: “...complex patterns like a set of intentional scars,” and “He is wearing red like the inside of the body exposed.” she includes these comparisons to illustrate a more vibrant vision of his outfit to the reader. Moving forward, she also includes her judgment of his appearance and the way he comes across to her. “This life he could take so easily and break across his knee like a stick …” she mentions this to have the reader believe that the person sitting there with her looks shady and sketchy like a thug in a dark alley.
Sharon Olds is a poet who is known for writing a poem called, "Ode to Dirt" in which admires nature. Although Olds used to despise dirt by calling it "the background for leading characters", she later apologizes and admires dirt. In, "Ode to Dirt" Sharon Olds elaborates on her praise of dirt by using certain words, similes, and personification. Olds tributes dirt by using certain vocabulary in the ode. To illustrate, Olds uses words such as, "slight" and "intricate" to indicate how her views have changed of dirt.
The speaker starts out feeling apologetic about dirt in the poem. This attitude is shown through personification and similes. Old says, “I had never honored you as a living.” This personification is used to show how in the past the speaker did not see the dirt in such a fascinating and is recognizing her faults. Old also uses similes to show her apologetic attitude.
Sharon Olds utilizes word choice, and figurative language to express the speaker's complex attitude towards dirt throughout the poem "Ode to Dirt". At the beginning of the poem, Olds apologizes to dirt for viewing it as a background character and claiming that “I thought that you were only the background for the leading characters—the plants and animals and human animals” proves how the speaker viewed the connection between dirt and other living things. The speaker's word choice here emphasizes sympathy towards dirt for not appreciating it enough. Olds also includes personification as a figurative of speech to give dirt a source of agency by describing it as a "guardian that protects and nourishes the earth.
Throughout the poem Ode To Dirt the poet, Mrs. Sharon Olds, use of figurative language and choice words allow for clear transitions between the tones such as apologetic (lines 1-7), regretful (lines 8-17), and acknowledging (lines 17-21). To begin the ode Mrs. Olds's immediate response is to apologize to dirt. This stems from the neglect that she has come to realize she has displayed toward dirt throughout her years causing her to feel as though she owes the dirt an apology for not realizing its true worth. This is displayed clearly through the personification stating, “Dear dirt, I am sorry I slighted you,/ I thought that you were only the background/ for the leading characters-the plants/ and animals and human animals.
By utilizing figurative language, and including strange, bland, but powerful/smart word choices, it really can relate to the structure of our book; even if it is much much shorter. So far throughout the story (figurative language wise), the poem had 3 different figurative languages; anaphora, simile(s), and metaphor(s). The anaphora was specifically noticeable because of the consistent use of the word "tear(s)". It happens around every new phrase or continuation of a phrase, so it appears around every 1-3 lines. Another time figurative language is showing is when our author used similes and metaphors to really show the power of tears.
In her poem On the Subway Sharon Olds describes an encounter between two drastically different strangers in the same subway car. Olds uses similes, imagery, metaphors, and tone to develop contrasts in both portraits in her poem. Olds uses imagery to describe the two strangers, and how they contrast in appearances. The boy is described as dark-skinned and menacing like a mugger, wearing red, and black sneakers. On the other hand the woman is described as being white, more elegantly dressed in the dark fur of an animal, and carrying a briefcase.
Another example of this being used in the poem is, “When I understood I had never honored you as a living equal, I was ashamed of myself, as if I had not recognized a character who looked so different from me” (9-13). This is an example of personification being used to apologize because the narrator is saying that she is ashamed that she did not recognize how much the dirt does and how it is important. The speaker is also giving life to the dirt by saying that it is a living equal to her even though they are two different living chattels. These are the ways that Olds uses literary elements in her poem to show how the narrator apologizes for what they have done to not respect the
The aforementioned first line is a form of personification of dirt in the form of a letter but dirt is an inanimate object and obviously cannot read. Another line of personification is, “I had never honored you as a living equal, I was ashamed of myself” showing again her remorse for the dirt and not seeing it as it truly was, a living thing that is consistent with the earth and nature but always looked over. Olds ends the poem with personification saying, “O dirt, help us find ways to serve your life.” She is begging for a way to repay the dirt she spent almost her entire life degrading with her ignorance. She continues praising dirt after the apologies which I believe to be a pattern in her poem.
People don’t tend to spend a lot of time thinking about dirt. However in the poem, “Ode to Dirt” the speaker uses carefully chosen words and figurative language to show the speaker’s attitude toward the dirt. The speaker switches from celebrating dirt to apologizing as she advances through the poem. The poem explores the speaker’s dismissal and admiration for dirt.
The balance between her reminiscing the past or holding on to so much aggression that she is forced to let go. These balances of struggle hold true throughout the entire poem to highlight the subliminal metaphors equipped with items typically used to destroy rather than build, along with symbolism that alludes to fighting
“On the Subway,” written by Sharon Olds, is written from the perspective of what is presumed to be an upper class white woman, who finds herself on a subway with a lower class black boy. In “On the Subway”, Olds focuses on the controversial issue of racial conflict, and the theme of White v. Black. She does so by use of contrast between whites and blacks, by using harsh enjambments, powerful imagery, and by using the tone to convey the purpose. A major strategy used by Olds throughout the poem is contrast; in this case, the contrast between blacks and whites.
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