An echo is a sound or series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener. In "An Echo Sonnet" by Robert Pack, a narrator who has multiple questions about his life found the answer through his echoes. The narrator seems to be a scared person who is afraid to take a chance in life; the echo, on the other hand, is able to give the narrator some hope when it responds back. In "An Echo Sonnet", Robert Pack utilizes metaphors and rhetorical questions in order to show the meaning of the poem which is to take a chance in life. Robert Pack uses metaphor to draw a comparison between two things. The metaphors help the readers understand the poem better. In lines 5 through 6, the narrator states, " Leaf blooms, burns red before delighted eyes. Here beauty makes of dying, ecstasy." The leaf is a metaphor for the narrator's heart; the narrator was once in love. Unfortunately, the love the narrator had died out. The narrator lost all hope when his/ her love ended. Even though the narrator has lost everything, he/ she is still unable to take risks. The narrator now has nothing to lose. Life is a cycle where one where die but another will live. …show more content…
The poem consists of mostly a question coming from the narrator and receiving a response from his/ her echo. The echo takes the last syllable of the question and creates a response out of it. In line 8, the narrator asks, "If death is not, who is my enemy?" The echo responds by saying me. Because the narrator is so hard on him/herself, he/she has become their own enemy. The narrator shows that their is darkness and despair in their life. Since the narrator has stopped taking chances and does not want to risk anything, the narrator really has nothing to live for. The narrator has become their own enemy. The narrator's past caused them to be more dark and lonely. The echoes help the narrator find the answer to his life