Sharon Olds Essays

Society has always worked to benefit the rich from the poor’s struggle “On the Subway” by Sharon Olds helps to highlight the difference and prejudice instilled to the core of individuals in society. Through the use of imagery, poetic devices, and tone she emphasizes the contrast between the two portraits in the poem. Additionally, the light and dark imagery helps to illustrate the antithesis between the portraits in the poem. For instance, the poem begins with the speaker, noticing how the “black

two different people, from total opposite worlds are brought together. The literary techniques such as tone, poetic devices, imagery , and organization help this contrast be possible. In addition, Sharon Olds uses imagery to describe the physical appearances of both the black and white mean. Sharon describes how the white man has a fur coat and a brief case indicating he has money. Meanwhile, the black guy is described as having “ a casual cold look of a mugger,” “ intentional scars.” These characteristics

feelings about her daughter. Through relations between convoluted characters, Sharon Olds poem " The Possessive" exhibits how in most cases

New Criticism attracts many readers to its methods by appealing to them with simple steps in order to criticize any work of literature. According to Steven Lynn it “focuses attention on the work itself, not the reader or the author or anything else” (21). It dismisses the use of all outside sources, asserting that the only way to truly analyze a poem efficiently is to focus purely on the poem. However, my New Criticism approach will include counterparts between the text and historical contexts, such

Sharon olds in the passage “on the subway” is trying to write the similarities and differences between the way people are with a Caucasian and an African American. Sharon attempts this by using literary techniques like imagery, simile, and tone. Imagery is used to see the differences between a white women and a black boy, the the first part of the passage. The narrator is the white woman and the black boy is the observer; the the shoes that he is wearing are black with “white laces on them”.

Sharon Olds is the author of the poem "On the Subway." Sharon is trying to make a historical point of view by showing a contrast between whites and blacks. We see the protagonist of the poem seeing a difference between herself and the stranger. The stranger is different to the protagonist. "Light and Dark" is a contrast Sharon keeps repeating. The reader can imply that the protagonist sees herself over powering compared to the dark stranger with the hoodie. However, in the beginning of the poem we

“On The Subway” by Sharon Olds In “On the Subway” by Sharon Olds, she explains and gives insights of the experiences she encounters between both worlds ( people without color and colored people), using literary devices such as: tone,imagery, and poetic devices. First, the author uses poetic devices such as metaphor and allusion, to give insights on the contrasts of both worlds . She uses metaphor to describe the way they took in each other’s appearance: “I look at his

In "The Race" by Sharon Olds, the author depicts the emotions of a daughter. Olds conveys the fast paced movement by applying imagery and metaphors. The author shifts from instinct to accepting the situation. Olds depicts the struggles the daughter faces because she has no sense of direction when she says, "...a fish slipping upstream deftly against the flow of the river." By incorporating the metaphor, Olds conveys the struggles of trying to reach a destination. It is clear that as the daughter

Joey Cunningham September 28, 2015 Textual Analysis Essay On the Subway On the Subway is a poem written by Sharon Olds that explores a typical and casual trip along the subway, narrated by a steady, contrasting compilation of thoughts from the speaker. Through use of several literary elements and devices, Olds draws on the tension felt between two bystanders who appear to be so opposite from each other, but yet have had a history of connections. On the Subway showcases a mindset that underscores

In “The Victims”, a poem by Sharon Olds, the narrator gives a recount of their feelings when their parents got divorced, but the main victim in the story is the narrator. Spousal abuse is common in this poem, since her mother “took it and took it in silence, all those years and then kicked you out, suddenly, and her kids loved it” (1-4). It is implied that the father beat his wife and kids, so it makes sense for them to be happy once they are freed of abuse by their parent’s divorce. That event,

clearly through both nostrils. Sharon Olds' "Ode to Dirt" effectively employs literary techniques, including metaphors and personification to demonstrate the speaker's gradual shift in perspective towards dirt. As a result, the speaker begins to appreciate the true value of dirt. Sharon Olds is able to express the speaker's attitude toward dirt through the use of metaphors. An example of this can be seen in line 2, "I thought you were only the background" (Olds, line 2). In these lines, the

In "On the Subway", the author, Sharon Olds explicitly describes an experience she had while using public transportation. Sitting across from her was an African American male who casually resembled a common mugger. In her thoughts, she analyzed and considered the obvious differences between her life of lavishness, which represents white superiority, and his supposed life of struggle and abuse, representing black inferiority. Olds displays this analyzation of both worlds by using imagery and simile

“On the subway” is a poem written by Sharon Olds. I’ve never rode on the subway before so I can’t really say much, but Sharon Olds has a lot on her mind. In this poem, Olds brings together two worlds into a closer proximity. She creates two portraits in the poem by using a variety of literary elements such as tone, diction, and imagery. The two portraits she creates are also significantly different. One of the portraits she creates is a black male sitting across from her on the subway. He’s described

Myles Robinson Pre-Ap 10 Mr. Fox 1, June 2023 “Ode to the Dirt” Poetry Analysis Essay In the poem “Ode to Dirt” written by Sharon Olds, the author is talking directly about the dirt. In a way almost as if the speaker admires the dirt. She makes the dirt seem like it's a special thing, something that could have created life, and something beautiful. Making us think it’s not soil but something much more important. Also, throughout the poem, the speaker's

Throughout the poem Ode to Dirt, Sharon Olds uses word choice and figurative language to show her attitude change throughout the poem and convey the message of; dirt does have an important story and purpose even though people like her may think it doesn't. Olds word choice in the beginning of her poem displays apologies and regret about how she thought of dirt before. “Dear dirt, I am sorry I slighted you," is the first line in her poem. The diction of slighted shows sorrow to the dirt but hatred

“On the Subway” by Sharon Olds Essay In the poem “On the Subway”, by Sharon Olds, the Author uses descriptive language to vividly depict the contrast of a black and white, With the slight flaw that she is a white female. She also organizes the poem in a way that intensifies the deeper along the poem you get. Lastly there are multiple tone shifts that go along with the organization/scenarios of the poem. Olds creates contrast between the black boy and the white female by using descriptive language

Sharon Olds’ free verse poem “On the Subway” rests on the border of white and black, resides on the fringe of light and shadow. The poem contrasts the lives of two very different people, a young black male and a wealthy white woman. Through the use of brilliant similes and vivid diction the speaker of the poem, the white women, is able to recognize the stark differences between blacks and whites. The literary devices illustrate the tumultuous past that divides blacks and whites and the incompatible

In Sharon Olds poem, "The Race" she tells the story of how she rushed to the airport to fly home and see her dying father one last time. The poem is filled with suspense as aheraces throught the airport in order to reach the Gate that was departing in a few moments. Olds ' exssesive use of enjambments, metaphors, and personification demonstrates her sense of persistance all through the poem. Moreover she respectfully listens to the young man provide her instructions to catch another flight.

“On the Subway” Poem Analysis In the poem, “On the Subway”, Sharon Olds describes an encounter she had with a mysterious boy. The poet starts off by describing the individual’s appearance. She uses vivid imagery to describe every detail about the boy, from the type of clothes he was wearing to the color of his skin. She uses the imagery to differentiate herself from the boy. For instance, in lines 9-13, she describes that the boy was wearing red (as if the insides of his body are exposed) while

The poem “In the Subway” written by the author Sharon Olds portrays some kind of racism through the literacy devices symbolism, imagery, and tone. A white male is scared of a dark male, while he was in the subway. In the beginning of the poem “On the Subway” the main character who is a white person, conveyed racism through the symbolism used by the author. The character is terrified about “his darkness” as he describes the other male.Consequently, the main character tries to convince the “nation’s