For the duration of his essay “The Stranger in the Photo is Me”, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and professor Donald M. Murray depicts his train of thought while flipping through an old family photo album. While describing his experience, Murray carries the reader through the story of his childhood, describing snapshots of some of his favorite memories growing up. Throughout the piece, he shifts back and forth between a family oriented, humorous tone and a nostalgic, regretful one and by doing so, he parallels the true experience of looking through a family photo album. Murray expresses a more serious tone while reflecting on a certain photograph of him in uniform from the beginning of World War II and goes on to explain how in his opinion,
Most poem readers would take the poem at face-value, disregarding its poetic composition, rhyming and ideas asserted. According to Robert Frost, the poem was composed in just one night. The poem ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’ was composed in 1922 and published in 1923 in ‘New Hampshire’ volume. After pulling off an all-nighter on his poem ‘New Hampshire’, he stepped outside in wee hours of the morning and had a sudden inspiration for the poem. A love for nature, imagery and personification are found recurrently. He termed it as ‘his best effort for remembrance’.
In lines one through five, the speaker of the poem explains to the readers on how life looked to him by stating “The new grass rising in the hills, the cows loitering in the morning chill, a dozen or more old browns hidden in the shadows of the cottonwoods beside the streambed.” By the speaker explaining how he saw nature
In chapter one of the poem, Tim O’Brien begins by introducing two unnamed characters who, indeed after the aftermath of a primary election, the audience learn that they decide to rent a cottage in what the author refers to as Lake of the Woods. The area surrounding the cottage has no people or towns. However, the same cottage has a beautiful view in terms of a lake facing to the north of Canada. The two unnamed characters came to the place in sought of solitude and togetherness. From this perspective, O’Brien develops his fiction story from a point of uncertainty. The audience does not know who the two characters are and the same applies to their activities, and as we learn later in the story, the readers come
A journey is a voyage leading to the discovery and transformation of one’s self through the experiences and challenges that confront an individual. This journey may arise circumstantially, however, the destination of the journey depends on the individual and the decisions they make. On the contrary, some journeys do not lead an individual to a monumental transformation, instead these journeys may be cyclical and more self-reflective in nature. These notions are explored thoroughly through the use of several literary and poetic techniques in David Guterson’s novel ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’ and Rosemary Dobson’s poem ‘Cock Crow’. Both texts provide insights into the nature of journeys and how the influences of journeys on individuals may differ.
Being away from a person or place for a period of time causes differing underlining emotions in a person, whether the feelings are good or bad. Absence, sometimes, creates a sense of loneliness, regretfulness, or longing for the past. Ann Beattie’s short story, “Snow” reveals the emotions of the narrator as she reminisces on her past life. A central theme of absence is prevalent throughout the short story, which is conveyed to the readers through the use of symbolism.
We come to countless decisions in life, and there are issues we have to let chance take command. Robert Frost is greatly known for his realistic imageries and his illustration of the rural life. Explaining in his writing to help examine the complex philosophical topics like nature
branching off of the trees that are darker in color. Frost uses juxtaposition to show the contrast of the darker trees amongst the white bark. The bark of birch trees can vary in color, white to darker ones such as black. Although the ones he specifically describes are the darker birches, which helps develop the connection to stressful times. The birches being that darker color shows the imagery of bad times and now in this line he puts forth a
Phenomenal Woman, by Maya Angelou is an inspiring poem that encourages women, including myself to be confident and to love themselves just the way they are. It encourages women to be independent and confident despite what others think about them, especially men. In “Phenomenal Woman”, there are various literary devices used, some of which include repetition, parallelism, metaphors and personification.
During a poetry unit, many high school students have read the words, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.” These are the opening lines to “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, a famous poem included in his collection Mountain Interval. The poem starts with the narrator walking in the woods and seeing two roads split from each other. He has to decide which road to take since this decision will forever shape him as a person. The speaker must recognize what can be gained and lost by each individual road and the choice to follow it. Throughout this poem, Robert Frost uses extended metaphors to convey that every human has a path that causes them to constantly make choices that will continue to shape their lives.
Did you know that two of Robert Frost 's kids died from influenza? Maybe that is why he wrote poems about life. There is one about being innocent at a young age. The others are about growing up and making decisions and death. Robert Frost has so much enthusiasm about life in his poems. Other events that may have influenced him to write poems the way he does are, visiting different places and things. When he moved, he went to different colleges and got different experiences to write poems. In Frost’s three poems, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening (“SBW”), “The Road Not Taken” (“RNT”), and “Nothing Gold Can Stay” (“NGS”), there are both similarities and differences in form and style, theme and meaning, and tone and mood.
When one thinks of nature, the first thoughts that may come to mind are bright flowers, green landscapes, and endless beauty. However, in the short story “Snow”, written by Frederick Philip Grove, readers learn that nature will stand down to no man and can take lives in the blink of an eye. In short, this tale is about a man, Redcliff, who goes missing in the middle of a blizzard and is eventually found dead, leaving behind, a widow and family depending on him. He is found by a group of three men: Abe, Bill, and Mike who recovers his body and in the end, breaks the tragic news to the family. The concept of nature in this work is painted as a vicious powerful villain who strikes fear and awe in all who witness its power. The author uses similes and personifications to create this image of nature against man as well as the backstory for the Redcliff family.
Throughout life, people are often faced with many decisions. Some of these decisions are easy to make, while others are excruciating, as they can be life altering. From a Christian’s perspective, however, people never have to make these decisions alone. God promises that he will never abandon his people, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (New International Version, Deuteronomy 31:6). In the poem, “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost uses beautifully crafted metaphors, imagery, and tone to convey a theme that all people are presented with choices in life, some of which are life-altering, so one should heavily way the options in order to make the best choices possible.
There will come a time in every person’s life where he has to make a decision that could alter his life forever. In fact, this exact situation may occur multiple times in his existence. In trying to make the right choices, a person might weigh both options and take into account all the possible effects and arguments for each. For example, when he was growing up, Robert Frost would take strolls with his friend, Edward Thomas, who would constantly face the struggle of choosing the right path and would always worry about whether he made the right decision. In his poem, “The Road Not Taken,” Frost portrays this relatable clash of choices. Going to the woods to make a serious decision, a lonely traveler torn between two paths fears choosing wrong.
The poem, “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost states that in life we come upon many decisions, and there are points where we have to let fate take the lead. “The Road Not Taken” uses two paths as a symbol of a life decision. To understand this poem you have to have understanding of life’s meaning. The author helps us better understand the message by his use of tone and literary devices such as metaphors and symbolism. In this poem we come to realize that life is a combination of decisions and fate. The two paths symbolize the life of the traveler and all his life decisions. This poem expresses life, because in life, there are important decisions that in some instances can make a really big change, sometimes it’s hard to find your way out of something, and there are many possible ways you can do it.