“It Couldn’t Be Done” by Edgar Guest discusses the importance of perseverance and self reliance in a world filled with negativity. The poem includes imagery, symbolism, connotation, form, and sound devices to contribute to the overall topic of motivation.
To begin, Guest uses both literal and figurative imagery to emphasize the positive spirit in the poem. The literal image “with a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin” (Guest, 13) describes how the character does not let the negativity from others destroy him. The juxtaposition of this literal image next to the defeatist words of the negative character is thought-provoking, allowing an audience to reconsider their outlook on life. Another literal image present in the poem is “but he took
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The ABAB rhyme scheme is a pattern that can be recognized by many individuals; therefore, it relates to the message that motivation is needed by everybody. Two ABAB rhyme schemes make up each stanza, which symbolizes the positivity and negativity that battle throughout the poem. Guest breaks the rhyme scheme once by rhyming “failure” with “you”. This strategic action emphasizes the different methods that negative individuals use to destroy a person’s ambition. Internal rhyme is included in many lines of the poem to create fluidity and sound pleasing to an audience. The poem is composed of a qualitative iambic meter, giving the syllables a sound of da DUM. A pleasing flow is observed through the fairly consistent line length and line syllable number. The lines throughout the poem end in both stressed and unstressed syllables, referencing the battle between discouragement and …show more content…
“We knew he’d begun” (Guest, 12) is a line containing a common “e” sound, which helps emphasize the importance of listening to one’s personal decisions. Next, lines with internal rhyme, such as “with a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin”, contain intertwined consonance to draw attention to the meaning of the entire line. The reoccurring “n” sound puts prominence on the cheerful spirit that the character maintains after experiencing a lack of support. Another example of consonance is in the line “it couldn’t be done”. This common “t” sound appears in the title and many lines throughout the poem to show the little impact that these diminishing words had on the main character. The word “chuckle” is an example of onomatopoeia, which adds interest and a dynamic energy to the poem. It also contributes to the dialogue and the art of story telling in the first stanza.
The use of repetition within the poem draws attention to important themes associated with overcoming negative pressure. The repetition of the word “it” reduces the specificity of the poem, making it simply about a general battle with mental strength. This effective decision allows anyone to connect with the poem by inserting their unique personal struggles. To emphasize the amount of negativity that is present in the world, Guest repeats the phrase “there are thousands”. This type of repetition reinforces
There are multiple examples of visual imagery in this poem. An example of a simile is “curled like a possum within the hollow trunk”. The effect this has is the way it creates an image for the reader to see how the man is sleeping. An example of personification is, “yet both belonged to the bush, and now are one”. The result this has is how it creates an emotion for the reader to feel
The poem is written in the style of free verse. The poet chooses not to separate the poem into stanzas, but only by punctuation. There is no rhyme scheme or individual rhyme present in the poem. The poems structure creates a personal feel for the reader. The reader can personally experience what the narrator is feeling while she experiences stereotyping.
...veryone else. He wakes up every day ready to crow his symbol to bring on that day. In the poem he is ready to protect all the female chickens, from another cock that could be in there house. He is ready to battle to the death for what he thinks is his. In this poem he uses ridicule, when he is talking about the old man in a terminal ward, and he also uses connotations. Some example of connotations are when he uses words like; enraged, sullenly, savagery, unappeased and terminal.
“If you can dream—and not make dreams your master, If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim…” Difficulties and Disasters happen quite often, but do not take them seriously because they are not the substance of life, they are the obstacles. “In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeoning of chance, My head is bloody, but unbowed.” Regardless of the situation, the author is able to tolerate it.
Figurative Language in used throughout poems so the reader can develop a further understanding of the text. In “The Journey” the author uses rhythm and metaphors throughout the poem. “...as you left their voices behind, the stars began to burn through the sheets of the clouds..”(25-27). The author compares the star burning to finding your voice. Rhythm also develops the theme of the poem because throughout the story rhythm is presented as happy showing growing up and changing for the better is necessary and cheerful. In “The Laughing Heart” the author uses imagery and metaphors to develop the theme throughout the book. “There is a light somewhere. It may not be much light but it beats the darkness”(5-7). Always find the good out of everything, even it
Personification: 'When Fortune frowns her blackest' is the only example of a personification in this poem. Fortune, which is an inanimate concept, is given the human ability of frowning in this poem. This poetic device is used to capture the attention of the reader and enhance
This change in tone echoes the emotions and mental state of the narrator. At the beginning of the poem, the narrator starts somewhat nervous. However, at the end, he is left insane and delusional. When he hears a knocking at the door, he logically pieces that it is most likely a visitor at the door.
The beginning of the poem starts with a humorous tone. Kinnell begins his poem with a simile “snore like a bullhorn”, an “Irishman”, or playing “loud music” to express the idea of something that is really loud and noisy, but still cannot wake the son up as opposed to the child’s ability to wake up to “heavy breathing” and a “come-cry” (line1-7). The tone that the...
...smile”; however, after listening to the introduction about every pen from the girl, the boy’s voice “filling with fear”. This marked contrast indicates the speaker’s impatience, and the audience can feel the development of the story clearly. If the attitudes of the speaker remained the same throughout the poem, it will create a lack of movement so that the audience cannot relate to the speaker.
The first literary device that can be found throughout the poem is couplet, which is when two lines in a stanza rhyme successfully. For instance, lines 1-2 state, “At midnight, in the month of June / I stand beneath the mystic moon.” This is evidence that couplet is being used as both June and moon rhyme, which can suggest that these details are important, thus leading the reader to become aware of the speaker’s thoughts and actions. Another example of this device can be found in lines 16-17, “All Beauty sleeps!—and lo! where lies / (Her casement open to the skies).” These lines not only successfully rhyme, but they also describe a woman who
Throughout the poem, the author uses various types of figurative language to immerse the reader in the thoughts and feeling of the speaker. The personification of fear in the form of Mr. Fear provides one such example.
Maya Angelou uses repetition, figurative language, and includes different examples of different people to convey and illustrate how a person needs someone. In this poem, repetition is continuously used throughout. One of the main characteristics that a reader will recognize about this poem, is that it contains large amounts of repetition of words and phrases. Throughout the poem, Angelou repeats the words "alone" and "nobody" numerous times. In fact, there is a three line stanza that repeats "alone" three times and "nobody" twice (11-13).
Chaos and drudgery are common themes throughout the poem, displayed in its form; it is nearly iambic pentameter, but not every line fits the required pattern. This is significant because the poem’s imperfect formulation is Owen making a statement about formality, the poem breaks the typical form to show that everything is not functioning satisfactorily. The poem’s stanza’s also begin short, but become longer, like the speaker’s torment and his comrades movement away from the open fire. The rhyming scheme of ABABCDCD is one constant throughout the poem, but it serves to reinforce the nature of the cadence as the soldiers tread on. The war seems to drag on longer and longer for the speaker, and represents the prolonged suffering and agony of the soldier’s death that is described as the speaker dwells on this and is torn apart emotionally and distorts his impressions of what he experiences.
Robert Frost, well known American poet of 191 poems, has a common message in his writing. Focusing mainly on Birches, The Road Not Taken, Dust of Snow, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Beech, Come In, and In Winter In, his main message is to always focus on the positive when everything else is trying to pull you down. This idea could also be seen as trying to always keep a positive attitude. The thesis above can be proven through a textual analysis.
The poem moves from a consideration of conditions conducive to rhyming, to an illustration of the poetic mind in action. The poem shifts to a final awareness of the inevitable limitations of the artifact. Utrillo’s painting remains on the wall,:“the nun is climbing up those steps,” but for the patients “the only hope is visitors will come /And talk of other things than our disease…/ So much is stagnant and yet nothing dies” (193) The poem itself is a watchfully crafted artifact which relies on the tension created between startling images of human suffering presented in a matter of fact tone to communicate the intensity of Jennings’s concern with the operations of the mind in all situations, including extreme emotional states.