An Analysis of Facing It Yusef Komanuyakaa's poem "Facing It" is a brutal examination of the affects that war leaves upon men. The reader can assume that Komanuyakaa drew upon his own experiences in Vietnam, thereby making the poem a personal statement. However, the poem is also a universal and real description of the pain that comes about for a soldier when remembering the horror of war. He creates the poem's persona by using flashbacks to the war, thereby informing the reader as to why the speaker is behaving and feeling the way he is. The thirty-one lines that make up "Facing It" journey back and forth between present and past to tell the story of one man's life. The informal language and intimacy of the poem are two techniques the poet uses to convey his message to his audience. He speaks openly and simply, as if he is talking to a close friend. The language is full of slang, two-word sentences, and rambling thoughts; all of which are aspects of conversations between two people who know each other well. The fact that none of the lines ryhme adds to the idea of an ordinary conversation, because most people do not speak in verse. The tone of the poem is rambling and gives the impression that the speaker is thinking and jumping from one thought to the next very quickly. His outside actions of touching the wall and looking at all the names are causing him to react internally. He is remembering the past and is attempting to suppress the emotions that are rising within him. The first two lines of the poem set the mood of fear and gloom which is constant throughout the remainder of the poem. The word choice of "black" to describe the speaker's face can convey several messages (502). The most obvious meaning ... ... middle of paper ... ..." the speaker is telling his audience that the dead soldier was a young man. The tenderness of his age further amplifies the horrific nature of war. The poem's persona and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall depend on each other to express the poem's intention. The poem's intention is to show that war is lethal, less than gloriful, and extremely real. Although years have gone by, these recollections are still affecting how he lives. Simply standing in front of the wall reminds the speaker of all of this. The Veterans Memorial takes on a life of its own. While the speaker is in its presense, the wall controls him. It forces him to remember painful memories and even cry, something he promised himself he would not do. The persona in the poem reacts to the power the wall has and realizes that he must face his past and everything related to it, especially Vietnam.
I saw that soldier’s faces were lit eerily in the dim light. The sculptures apparel seemed fitting due to the light rain that was falling at the memorial site. I noticed the wall glimmering as the raindrops slid down the glassy surface and fall into the wilting flowers while the images illuminated from the glare of rain and light. I felt this morbid and realistic presence of the soldiers and for a mere second felt the gloom and menace of the war they were in. I walked around the site to gather more information on what the memorial was dedicated to. I walked past the mural wall and as I did I paid particular attention to the various images of people and equipment on the wall. All of the facial expressions of the people on the wall gave the memorial a very real presence to it. I continued walking down the granite walk and I read it was the Korean War Veterans Memorial and immediately got the message the artists were trying to convey. It was very clear that they were showing the public that freedom is not free. The memorial symbolizes the soldiers that have fought for the freedom of others and it recognizes the importance of these actions and
The rich history of Europe is a beautifully created story ranging from romance, art, and prosperity, to bloody warfare, world powers, and deception. Certain rulers, whether monarchs, dictators, or a body of people in power, have shown clear traits of their true purposes. Possibly being either angelic, and looking out for the good of the world, or sinister, selfish, and searching for domination. The majority of dictators are frowned upon, however some were considered saviors, heros, legends to the people. Napoleon, however, is not one of these mythical people. Napoleon Bonaparte was a prodigious general of warfare, having gone to military school at the age of 9, and succeeding exceptionally. He won a series
Although in another country Napoleon was still an active member of the Jacobions, (who had just overthrown and murdered the King of France Louis XVI) which angered the monarchist the King of Corsica, who declared the Bonapartes outlaws. Napoleon immediately fled with his family back to France, and rejoined the French military.
Many different literary devices as well as figurative language were used throughout this poem to lay emphasis on the theme of this poem, including motifs, metaphors, and connotations. Irony, personification and symbolism were used as well. Symbolism can often be very prevalent in poems and “Long Black Train” is no exception. In this poem, the greatest symbol was the train itself, as it represented temptation. Evidence of this can be found in the statement, “It sounds so good but I must ...
On his rise to power Napoleon took it upon himself to make sure that the old government system called the directory was taken out because overall that system was doing no good to the already broken country.This taking out of the directory become known as a coup d’ etat. Napoleon quickly went into action making the French consulate and then to add on to that he made himself the first consul which eventually made him have all the power and allowed him to become emperor. On his way up, like every leader Napoleon had to fight in wars with other countries which in most he ended up winning. After taking control of most of Europe Napoleon continued to expand the lands of french territory and...
The poem begins with a childlike tone, misleading the reader on the upcoming subject matter. The first line echoes a nursery rhyme, feeling like a charm against some brooding curse. “You do not do, you do not do/ anymore black shoe” (lines 1-2). Metaphorically, the shoe is a trap, smothering the foot. The adjective “black” suggests the idea of death, thus it can relate to a coffin. The speaker feels a submissiveness and entrapment by her father. In an attempt to rid herself of the restriction in her own life, she must destroy the memory of her father. “Daddy, I have to kill you” (line 3). However, the description of the father as “marble-heavy” and “ghastly statue” reveals the ambivalence of her attitude, for he is also associated with the beauty of the sea. The speaker reacts with hate to her father who had made her suffer by dying at such a point in her development.
The poem Facing it has many hidden meaning. First a background on what the poem is about. It is about a man that fought in the Vietnam war. He goes to the vietnam Memorial wall in washington DC. The wall is made out of reflective granite, so when you look at the wall you can see your face looking back at you as if to say you are among the fallen. Quotes like “im stone. Im flesh” reinforce the theme of guilt about his fallen friends. Your friends in war are closer to you than your brother. Putting you life in your fellow soldiers hands creates a bond that can never be broken. Therefore when your friends dies in comdate it creates a feeling of guilt. This guilt has been called survivor's guilt. Even if there was nothing that could have been
It describes how the conservative farmer follows traditions blindly and the isolated life followed by him. It reflects how people overcome physical barriers and that later in life come to their social life too. Where a neighbor with a pine tree, believes that this separation is needed as it is essential for their privacy and personal life. The poem explores a paradox in human nature. The first few lines reflect demolition of the wall,?Something there is that doesn?t reflect love a wall?
Napoleon was born on August 15th, 1769 at Ajaccio on the Mediterranean island of Corsica (Chew). His birth name was Napoleone Di Buonaparte. Later in his life he changed it to Napoleon Bonaparte, and again to his now known name Napoleon I. Having 7 siblings, he was the second son of a family of kings, queens, princesses, and politicians. His father was a lawyer who had minor connections and was far from wealthy (Dugdale-Pointon). Surprisingly enough, he had no birth advantages or family wealth and all of his later achievements would be accomplished by his own skill and ability.
War is a patriotic act where one seeks the determination to lead their country. It can be viewed noble, cruel, inhumane and can make an individual a hero or a criminal. It effects everyone in a society, hoping their loved one is safe whether fighting in the trenches or waiting at home. It has led to severe individuals suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. Two poems in war literature “Anthem for Doomed Youth” by Wilfred Owen and “Facing it” by Yusef Komunyakaa, the authors’ different perspectives will be presented. Owen portrays war as a horror battlefield not to be experienced and the glorious feeling to fight for one’s country. Komunyakaa on the other hand shows an African American that serves in Vietnam War and visits the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. The poets’ choice of diction, setting of battlefield and various uses of poetic devices create a desired effect.
Yusef Komunyakaa, the poet of war, vividly describes his vacillating emotions about the Vietnam War and his relation to it as an African-American veteran in the poem, “Facing It.” Komunyakaa, the protagonist of his narrative, reflective poem, contemplates his past experiences as he promenades around the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, struggling to conceal his ardent emotions and remain hard and cold as “stone.” He writes one stanza in a dark mood, and by using metaphors and visual imagery, he paints a picture with his words for all to see.
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.
From this quote, it shows how the rest of the poem was going to be dark and dim. At the time Poe had written this poem, he had already faced a lot of tragedy throughout his life. it was easy to see how the poem actually reflected a lot about Poe the troubles he faced in...
"Mending Wall" is a poem written by the poet Robert Frost. The poem describes two neighbors who repair a fence between their estates. It is, however, obvious that this situation is a metaphor for the relationship between two people. The wall is the manifestation of the emotional barricade that separates them. In this situation the "I" voice wants to tear down this barricade while his "neighbor" wants to keep it.