Thomas Lux’s use of enjambment in his poem, “A Little Touch” allows an invocation of a variety of reactions with each line. Each line creates conflict with the next line, resulting in a change of ideas. As the reader progresses through this body of work, he or she indulges in a thought process filled with ideas that seem limitless. Lux utilizes a skilled use of enjambment to bring forth the effectiveness of dark humor and rather a dark irony. Moreover, the poem’s structure presents a rhyme scene that leads its readers rapidly through moments of time. Overall, this well-crafted, free verse poem provides a grandiose view of the life cycle of teeth as it relates to the progression of life (Kirszner, & Mandell, 2017). Beginning with the milestone of a baby growing “a tooth, then two, / and four, and five” illustrates …show more content…
Such representations provide the reader with a quick association with multiple aspects of life. Moreover, the enjambments, along with the wording of Lux’s poem remind the reader not to take life for granted, because in the blink of an eye, milestones become memories. Moving through the poem, Lux illustrates through word association that following rapidly guides readers through a child’s infancy, associated with baby teeth. Next, the reader rapidly engages in the view of toddler years, associated with learning words. Progressing into teenage years, and on into young adulthood, Lux illustrates that “she’ll fall / in love with cretins, dolts, a sweets / talker on his way to jail” (Lux, 1989, lines 4-6). Then Lux associates a mother and father with their child’s life idiocrasy’s and quick decisions by including, “And you, / your wife, get old, flyblown, and rue nothing” while reminding the reader that as parents that through love and dedication they did what they could to raise their child right (Lux, 1989, lines
For the entire duration of the poem, the reader is able to infer how the complexity of the relationship changes and how the father feels about his son through the techniques and methods stated above. Within A Story, Lee uses point of view from both characters to convey the idea that the father’s relationship with his son is indeed, increasingly complex. The reader also learns from this point of view technique that the time of thought within the poem constantly changes. The boy’s young age is shown clearly in the beginning of the poem as: “His five-year-old son waits in his lap.”
In the poem “The Century Quilt” by Marilyn Nelson Waniek, Waniek is able to craft a complex, contemporary poem using a variety of literary devices. Through enjambment, imagery, and chronological succession, Waniek describes the complexities of her quilt and reflects on it’s beauty and uniqueness. In lines 1-2 of “The Century Quilt” Waniek uses enjambment to start her poem with ambiguity and suspense. In addition, her use of enjambment slows the pace and forces the reader to digest each line as an individual thought, rather than a cohesive statement. In turn, the slowed pace and ambiguity of the opening couplet offers a preview to Wanieks unique style and syntax.
A metaphor that proves the children have grown interdependent amongst each other. The use of such literary devices are uses to enforce his message of how great change can happen from small beginnings.
Tyner’s use of character, plot, and symbolism in his poem establishes a connection to his childhood and the narrator, illustrating the scenery of poverty through the lens of a child. The poem describes
In his essay “Coming into language” Jimmy Baca uses the image of light as a controlling metaphor to express his creativity as a writer. Many times in writing light is seen as a symbol of re-birth, to represent cleansing, and also to represent a revelation. The image of light is often associated with the visionary world of creative genius. This essay will highlight the different ways Baca uses light to express his creativity, and how language helped to steer him in the right direction, away from the darkness. Growing up and throughout his life Jimmy Baca had always faced hardships.
Visual imagery aids the reader in understanding the loss of innocence of a boy amid such despair and the transformation that follows. Through these literary features, the author
The main message of the story is shown through the symbolism of the nursery. In the story, Bradburry shows that the parents are no longer matter to the children, and the mother and father are replaced by the nursery. The symbolism teaches not only that neglect can cause people to change, but also that too much technology is not a good thing. Similes are also a present part of this short story. For example when the text says “... and the yellow of them was in your eyes like the yellow of an exquisite French tapestry…” This is an excellent example of ‘like’ or ‘as’ being used to make emotions of sights more relatable, vivid, and understandable to the
“The Untitled Superhero Poem” by Tonya Maria Matthews is a great example of stream of consciousness, displays great use of enjambment, and is an ideal representation of witness poetry. One of the first things that a reader will notice is that there is no punctuation in the poem until the very last line. The absence of punctuation, also known as enjambment, causes the reader to continuously read the poem without stopping. By using this device, Tonya Maria Matthews is forcing the reader to take in everything that is said in the poem at once. This device also gives high energy to “The Untitled Superhero Poem.”
The formulistic construction and simplistic language echo a child’s understanding of the world, enhanced by the synecdoche “beak and claw”. Harwood’s repeated references to literal and figurative blindness through “daylight riddled eyes”, are metaphoric of the child’s ignorance. The child belief of “death clean and final not this obscene” is left reeling, highlighted through alliteration and grotesque imagery “stuff that dropped and dribbled through loose straw tangling in bowels”.
She uses her importance and connection to music to show that even while things change and she grows up, the one thing that remains constant is the melody. She recalls her mother leaving and it is a long, painful experience, she knows she is actively forgetting the good in her childhood. The speaker is aware of her childhood memories “fading like the words of a lullaby”, but there is a sense of comfort in knowing that no matter the circumstances, they will remain. The personal relationship in the jazz albums and small nuances add up together to create something that blooms from the
In the past, authors have used different kinds of diction and imagery in order to express their thoughts and experiences on the thought of growing up. In the vignette “The Monkey Garden” from The House On Mango Street Esperanza deals with the pain of her friend growing up before she does. Her lack of maturity in social situations causes her confusion and pain. At the beginning of the vignette Sandra Cisneros uses positive diction and peaceful, playful imagery in order to show the beauty and innocence of childhood. Cisneros then shifts the tone and uses negative diction and Sorrowful imagery in order to express that growing up can be a painful, revealing process.
Dillard implements imagery all throughout her essay, which gives the reader a clear picture of the events occurring. For instance, she describes her husband “gesturing inside a circle of darkness” as a result of him gradually travelling farther away from her (Dillard). Ultimately, the use of imagery in this case represents the loneliness the narrator begins to feel. The author also utilizes metaphors to get her message across. Dillard compares “grammar and lexicon” to a “decorated sand bucket and a matching shovel” because without the other, they will not be able to fulfill their purpose (Dillard).
Alice Walker uses imagery and diction throughout her short story to tell the reader the meaning of “The Flowers”. The meaning of innocence lost and people growing up being changed by the harshness of reality. The author is able to use the imagery to show the difference between innocence and the loss of it. The setting is also used to show this as well.
His son marries, and the narrator and his wife age further, and the transition into old age is complete with the death of the narrator’s father-in-law. Between these events we can see large shifts in attitudes and ideas, as well as health and well-being. These factors provide clear character evolution within the
In the short story “The Flowers”, Alice Walker sufficiently prepares the reader for the texts surprise ending while also displaying the gradual loss of Myop’s innocence. The author uses literary devices like imagery, setting, and diction to convey her overall theme of coming of age because of the awareness of society's behavior. At the beguining of the story the author makes use of proper and necessary diction to create a euphoric and blissful aura. The character Myop “skipped lightly” while walker describes the harvests and how is causes “excited little tremors to run up her jaws.”. This is an introduction of the childlike innocence present in the main character.