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Poem Analysis Of Sharon Olds Antipodes

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Antipodes are tools for facilitating the contrast between two differing antagonistic views on an issue. Furthermore, differentiating the diction on a short is essential to identify shifts, comparison and themes within the text. Literary devices such as tone, poetic devices, organization, and imagery all depict the contrast that develops the poem. First of all, the poem obviously has a negative connotation regarding the dark skinned boy. The author Sharon Olds uses the contrast of light and dark not only to describe the differentiation of classes between being a white person versus being black.Tone words describe the boy “with a cold look of a mugger” manifestly means because of his skin he is someone everyone should be concentrated towards. Moreover, the author goes on to further describe the black man on the subway with “ the way he absorbs the murderous beams of the nation’s heart as black as cotton”. Cotton habitually will be affiliated with blacks and slavery, having the scrutinizing look of a murderer is not something you wanted to be associated with. On the other hand, the narrator describes either him or herself as “ I am white” and further goes on to …show more content…

A comparison such as the metaphor between the black cotton absorbs the sun’s light and retains it further illustrates the theme of mystery, curiosity, and racism. “The rod of his soul at birth was that dark and fluid” imagery in this line paints the picture of being born in a damp, cold,wet, and treacherous place to be brought into this world. Opportunities are not given to those whom are born with dark skin is basically what this line is trying to summarize. On the other hand, parallelism is another form of literary devices the author uses to juxtapose the palpable emotions of the rush of adrenaline of riding a subway. Consequently, the recurring motif of light and dark is depicted with

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