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Subways exctive summary
On the subway analysis
On the subway sharon olds analysis
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Subways exctive summary
On the subway analysis
On the subway sharon olds analysis
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
In “On the Subway” by Sharon Olds, the speaker is on a train and finds herself across a man, she describes has “the casual cold look of a mugger.” It is not clear as to why she sees him as a mugger, but he is larger than her. As the poem unfolds, we get a better look at her thinking process and the differences between the speaker and the man. “He is wearing red, like the inside of the body exposed” is a simile the poet used to express how simple and open the man looked; by comparing him to an open body. On the other hand, she is in a fur coat.
I have chosen the poem titled Oxygen by Mary Oliver, found on page 373 in the Meyer text for first analysis. This poem is essential about someone who is seriously ill, however, the tone is rather appreciative and hopeful. In line 5-6, the individual–might be the author herself– kneels by the fire, and this may connect to the fuel that is keeping her partner alive. The burning logs correlates to the life within her partner, that as long as they burn, he will be kept alive. The oxygen fuels the fire burning and also keeps her man alive; however, he is ill and “in his usual position, leaning on his shoulder.”
On the Subway Sharon Olds depicts the harsh realities of our world. Some may believe whites have privilege over other races; however, Olds tells the story in a way that challenges that notion. Old’s use of imagery and simile help the reader understand the contrast between the white and black world. Olds uses imagery in describing the (black) male. “Casual cold look of a mugger… hooded lids.”
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.
The poem by Louise Erdrich, “Dear John Wayne”, was written as a way to express the Native American’s contempt for the way they have been demonized in the media by what John Wayne represents. John Wayne starred in many Westerns and consequently, represents the American dream. It is this role in these westerns that the Natives hate so much, and what led to the creation of this poem. This hatred is conveyed through the use of imagery. Mrs. Erdrich uses Imagery in many ways.
This comparison is continued through the use of personification when the narrator “scurries to the far back [of the classroom] keeping [her] alien-green head and antennas
In the poem “A Story” by Li- Young Lee, the audience is introduced to the intricate relationship between the father and the son. There is an obvious internal conflict ongoing within the father’s thoughts; the father desperately wants to tell his son a story but cannot come up with one. The author highlights the altering views held by the father and the son through the use of shifting points of view and the intended structure. These two devices adeptly establish the poem’s profundity and intensity of emotions; moreover, it brings light to a common battle that evolving filial relations face against time; as innocence eventuates into maturity, parents inevitably feel helpless and nostalgic.
In the excerpt, “On the Subway” we see a variety of literary devices being used to fully express its meaning. Sharon Olds, the author of this short story writes the story in a way that one character seems to be superior than the other. She uses imagery to fully depict characters and their appearances. Additionally, she also uses metaphors, symbolism, and tone to express how the characters view each other.. Through all this we can come to the conclusion that the narrator of this story is a racist.
This description that the narrator gives himself gives the reader not only a glimpse at the narrator physically, but how also he is feeling about being where he is. Because of the imagery given, the reader can tell that the narrator is confident, and ready for whatever is about to happen. Imagery is one of the most prominent techniques used to characterize the narrator in this story.
How would you feel if someone could control what you were thinking? In “The Feed” written by M.T Anderson, everyone living in the community had a feed in their brain that was controlled by one large organization. Violet, the main character, suffers through a malfunction in her feed that changes the way she sees her society. Most people’s opinions can be changed when they have experienced the benefits and the disadvantages of something. Since Violet is aware of how life is with and without the feed, she becomes hesitant to believing that her community is being run efficiently.
Even though their stories differ both show a deep connection the writers past and helps the reader how the events shaped their theme. E.B. White focuses heavily on the imagery in his narration of his trip to the lake. He tries to show his readers that he remembers all of the details of how the lake was, “There were cottages sprinkled around the shores, and it was farming country although the shores of the lake were quite heavily wooded” (White 459). White’s recollection of the lake trip shows his nostalgic tone and memories of the body of
The poem A Step Away From Them by Frank O’Hara has five stanzas written in a free verse format with no distinguishable rhyme scheme or meter. The poem uses the following asymmetrical line structure “14-10-9-13-3” while using poetic devices such as enjambment, imagery, and allusion to create each stanza. A Step Away From Them occurs in one place, New York City. We know this because of the lines, “On/ to Times Square, / where the sign/blows smoke over my head” (13-14) and “the Manhattan Storage Warehouse.”
Get on the bus and join the movement towards appreciating poetry. Join author of Poetry Should Ride the Bus, Ruth Forman in making poetry an everyday thing. Poetry should be familiar to everyone and looked at as a mundane concept. Society should be able to use poetry as a benefit to their lives on a regular basis. Unfortunately, poetry isn’t appreciated as much as it should be.
How would you like it if you had to fit in? The poet Erin Hanson, who goes by E.H., wrote the poem “Welcome to Society”. The poem is summarized by the third and fourth lines, which state, “And please feel free to be yourself/ As long as it’s in the right way.” Hanson expresses the theme of social acceptance through his/her use of conflict, word choice, and idioms throughout the poem.
“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.