Similes In Monophobia

Brady Bai

Mrs.Lyons

English I D

8 March, 2022

6.10 Analysis of Spoken Word Poem

In the poem "Monophobia", by Brady Bai, the author uses descriptive similes, urgent imagery, and abstract symbolism to illustrate the prevalent issue of poor mental health due to social exclusion and stress among high school students. First, the author demonstrates the loneliness and seclusion of the main character through the usage of the simile "like that of the frigid, barren sea" in line 10. Every word describing the runner’s surroundings is "frigid" and "barren", painting a desolate image that he is the only one in these vacant hallways, and implying that he feels extremely lonely and even cold, through the usage of this diction. The author uses this to illustrate how extreme loneliness can cause mental health issues in students, as the

These words paint a vivid picture of the runner’s situation in the mind of the reader. The "stresses" refer to the workload that students have to face in their daily lives, combined with their social anxieties. The "peace somewhere in the chaos" likely refers to the runner’s desire to relieve his stress of having to juggle homework while also maintaining a social life. Finally, Bai’s symbolism of the "voices" in lines 18 and 31 as well as the equations in line 20 sheds light on the continuity of the issue of poor mental health due to exclusion and stress. The "voices" talk "vivaciously amongst themselves, but never realize or even acknowledge the runner’s existence in the hallways, and are absolutely oblivious to his suffering and loneliness, emphasizing the issue of social exclusion among high school students. The author also uses the words "unsolved problems" and, with them, the personification "begging to be solved" to stress the fact that this problem is ongoing, and that society needs to provide assistance to those facing it. Ultimately, poor mental