Summary Of Cate Marvin's Poem After After Aftermath

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What are the long-term effects on the surrounding after a small incident occurs? Cate Marvin’s poem, “After Aftermath” from the book of poetry, Oracle, dramatizes conflict among people with different genders and ages. The speaker mentions the consequent events after a mother, who does not hold up to her responsibility, abandons her son. Being frustrated by the attitude she received from orphaned boys, she discusses the issues and the reason behind their indifference personality. She believes that the ignorant attitude boys act towards her originated from their mothers who also ignored them. Consequently, the girls who are treated coldly, become unaffectionate and cold towards people they resent. It is a cycle of mean personality that starts from the mother. “They learned how / to not care for themselves because of you. / Orphan boys make mean men. Because of / them, I feel mean,” (12-15). The speaker mentions that the mother cold personality affected her son’s personality, which in turn influenced the speaker’s personality. Repeating the adjective “mean” to describe the mothers, boys, boys who turn into men, and herself shows that there is a domino effect on personality starting with the mother’s personality. As the poem progresses, the …show more content…

The speaker constantly repeats the word “Mom” after every statement she makes to emphasize her frustration and cynical opinions about a mom who abandons her own son. “I’m unhappy with you, Mom. / You’re not my mom, but I’m calling you Mom / now that I’m his mom, Mom. Your son can’t / say what he thinks because you didn’t teach / him how to articulate himself, Mom.” (20-24). Repeating the word constantly reminds the person she is talking to is a mom, which conveys the idea that her identity to the orphaned boy will remain the same. She will forever be a mom to her son. Anaphora is used effectively in order to show persistence in maintaining an identity one tries to