Poetic Devices in “One of the Monkeys”

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In his poem, “One of the Monkeys,” Nicholas Johnson describes monkeys typing Shakespeare while being observed by a crowd of strangers. They are writing “Hamlet” by Shakespeare, which they have never read. Johnson’s poem explains the process of writing and the feelings associated with it. He does not celebrate or criticize the process; rather, he lists the feelings without the use of human examples. Johnson gives insight into the emotions of writing. He proves that writing is not bland, and that it can involve amusement, confusion, anguish, and motivation.
Johnson sets a tone for the reader that changes over time in order to express an alteration in emotion. He first starts comically and unrealistically, saying, “I’m one of the monkeys they’ve got typing,” which is meant to amuse the reader, but then says, “They stay too long… but the bananas flow,” showing confusion of the monkeys; they want to leave but they need the bananas. Toward the end he says, “One keeper killed my father,” showing his grief. These shifts in tone are meant to signify the change in the writer’s attitude over t...

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