In the free verse poem “The Black Walnut Tree” by Mary Oliver, the speaker and her mother debate about selling the black walnut tree in their backyard to pay off the mortgage. The poem is narrated in the first person and has a conversational tone, demonstrated by the simple vocabulary and diction, such as “we talk,” “I say,” and “she replies.” In the beginning, the speaker and her mother discuss the logical reasons for selling the tree, viewing the tree in a somewhat utilitarian manner. However, in line sixteen, the poem shifts and they discuss their emotional attachment to the tree, describing it as a symbol of the family’s history. The poem conveys the relationship between the tree and the family through the use of figurative language and …show more content…
The speaker expresses this shift with figurative language: “something brighter than money moves in our blood.” The speaker further expresses it through the use of a simile, explaining that she and her mother wish to “dig and sow” like a “trowel ” rather than cut and kill the tree. The trowel is also personified here as it “wants” them to dig and sow. The speaker dreams of her “fathers” or ancestors from Bohemia who planted “leaves,” “vines,” and “orchards” in the fields of Ohio. The dream shows that her ancestors also chose to “dig and sow” rather than cut and that the tree reminds the speaker of her family’s history. Therefore, if she and her mother chose to chop the tree down, they would “crawl with shame in the emptiness [they’d] made.” The shift from literal language to figurative language establishes the shift from a practical view of the tree to an emotional one. The speaker also uses vivid imagery, employing words with a more positive connotation, such as “fresh” and generous,” which contrasts the negatively connotated words used in the first half of the poem. The use of figurative language also draws more attention to the second section of the poem as it makes it more interesting to read. Therefore, the language highlights the importance of family over money with the black walnut tree symbolizing the family’s
The alternation between Standard Written English and Black Vernacular English reflects one of the novel’s central themes: the importance of controlling language. The scene of the pear tree is a concise example of this oscillation: from barren brown stems to glistening leaf-buds; from the leaf-buds to snowy virginity of bloom. It stirred her tremendously. How? Why?
In contrast with the tree; the walls family were always beaten down due to poverty, spun in different directions by the wind; as in the millions of miles they move about through the country but they also have strong roots as well. Rose; Jeanette’s mother shows a deep interest and fascination over the tree. She loves to study and make portraits about it. In Rose’s perspective the tree is her view about her family; deep underneath their dysfunctional roots of trial and hardships they face; there is a strong bond of love and compassion that they have together as a
A.E. Stallings’ “First Love: A Quiz” was a shocking poem that could leave a reader quite flabbergasted by the end. Looking simply at the title, what comes to mind is a simple quiz in a frivolous teen magazine article, but what lies beneath the surface is much more dark and filled with hurt. From the title that may make one believe this is to be a story of a child’s first love, to the last stanza, in which readers could be taken aback by the blatant change in mood, stating “the place he took me to…is called by some men hell and others love” (22,29), describing the difference between a relationship of compassion and consent between one another, and a relationship in which one person abuses their power. The figurative language and metaphors used
“Mom and Dad smiled at each other and laughed. It was a sound that Tree hadn’t heard from them in the longest time” (132). This shows how Tree wasn’t sure his parents were ever going to get along again, but they end up having a good time. This is an example of how family matters most and hope is always around. This situation gave Tree strength to preserve.
This kind of description shows the reader how impressive and majestic this tree is, as it puts a vivid picture in the reader’s mind as something that is not only unrivaled in terms of altitude, but it can also be seen from the sea, which highlights its stature as a wholly independent object. Old as it is, this pine is strong, and does not need any assistance from the ecosystem surrounding it. The importance of this giant tree, along with other details that make the story more interesting, is what dramatizes this young heroine’s adventure.
Into The Woods The musical “Into the Woods” by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine is a metaphor for life in many ways, but the most prominent one is the woods symbolizing life itself. The prologue song “Into The Woods” is about each of the character’s dreams and wishes. Cinderella wishes to go to the festival, Little Red Riding Hood wants to deliver bread to Granny, and the Baker and his wife want to have a child, even though the witch cursed their lineage.
When the speaker says “They brought down the marigolds as a matter of course” it shows how she expected the woodchucks to behave badly, but it still shows her frustration with them in her garden (10). In this verse it reveals how although she knows that it is only logical and natural for the woodchucks, she is still angry that they brought down her marigolds. In the next verse the gardener says that that the woodchucks have “ taken over the vegetable patch” (11). This shows how the speaker is furious that she is not in control of her own garden anymore, but the vermin she recently tried to exterminate have taken what is rightfully hers. The speaker goes on to say that the woodchucks have “beheaded her carrots” (12).
“...but the oriole nest the elm was unattended and knocked back and forth like an empty cradle” (Hurst 350). This simile gives a comparison to a tree to an empty cradle. The story goes on and tells how the older brother has watched other parents or relatives grieve over people who struggle
In Mary Oliver’s, The Black Walnut Tree, she exhibits a figurative and literal understanding on the importance of family and its history. The poem is showing that your emotional value is what’s more important than your physical value (money). By using symbolism and imagery the poet illustrates an intricate relationship between the “Black Walnut Tree” to the mother and daughter being both rooted deeply in the earth and past trying to reach for the sun and the fruit it will bring. Symbolism constitutes the allusion that the tree is the family both old and new. Imagery portrays the image that the tree and family are connected by similar trails and burdens.
Transitional states of maturity can be challenged or championed by unexpected discoveries which can be confronting or provocative. This is explored through Alice Walker’s 1973 prose fiction, “The Flowers”, as the protagonist’s view on the world is transformed due to the personal zemblanic discovery made. The short story explores the themes of loss of innocence and death in order to address cultural indifference and the prejudice experienced by certain groups within society, which in turn causes individuals to be effected negatively. Walker hopes to evoke sense of political and social reflection in her audience, hoping that intimate discoveries of past inequity by her readers will ensure cultural equity maintains future momentum.
For example, Taylor uses the Fig Tree to show/describe the Logan family’s presence. Mildred D. Taylor brings out a very strong object that is symbolic to the logan family in the story. In this section the author describes the Fig Tree as resemblance of the logan family, “ that fig tree's got roots that run deep,
In the poem, “My Papa’s Waltz”, Theodore Roethke illustrates the complex relationship between a little boy and his father by juxtaposing images of love and violence through word choices that portray feelings of fear yet affection for his father. Roethke’s shifting tone encompasses distress and a sense admiration that suggests the complexities of violence both physically and emotionally for the undercurrents of his father and son relationship. The poem begins with a series of negative images, each of which are considered violent and undesirable in a family. For example, “The whiskey on your breath” suggests alcoholism, and “Could make a small boy dizzy” emphasizes that a boy is suffering from the effects of the alcoholic parent.
Things that come to an end in ernest hemingway 's the end all have symbolism there are about 3 things that’s ends are explained. The lumber mill comes to an end due to the depletion of the forest. In a way the lumber mill is a parasite and the forest is the host as it has massive amounts taken from it and nothing given back. The lumber mill is supposed to represent the main character from the story and his love life as it is disassembled and then sailed away. Much like his relationship that slowly fell apart and then sailed away figuratively and literally as the girlfriend leaves him taking the boat with her.
The writer uses juxtaposition to show how much of a tremendous age difference there is between the tree and the girl. It’s mentioned several times how she is only “small and silly” while the tree is “the last of its generation”. Due to the tremendous gap between them, they don’t understand each other at first, which leads to many obstacles that they must overcome. The struggles are often portrayed with imagery to give them a tangible threat; the old, grandfatherly pine has “sharp, dry twigs” and obstacles such as “green leaves that [are] heavy and wet with dew”. The journey is also described with similes to illustrating how the young girl imagines her situation to be; near the beginning, the tree’s branches “scratch her like angry talons”.
Dana Gioia’s poem, “Planting a Sequoia” is grievous yet beautiful, sombre story of a man planting a sequoia tree in the commemoration of his perished son. Sequoia trees have always been a symbol of wellness and safety due to their natural ability to withstand decay, the sturdy tree shows its significance to the speaker throughout the poem as a way to encapsulate and continue the short life of his infant. Gioia utilizes the elements of imagery and diction to portray an elegiac tone for the tragic death, yet also a sense of hope for the future of the tree. The poet also uses the theme of life through the unification of man and nature to show the speaker 's emotional state and eventual hopes for the newly planted tree. Lastly, the tree itself becomes a symbol for the deceased son as planting the Sequoia is a way to cope with the loss, showing the juxtaposition between life and death.