Julio Polanco's Poem Identity

216 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Poetry and theme of identity identity

In the poem “Identity”, the author Julio Polanco uses an extended metaphor portraying individuality. The weed in this piece represents being different by “stand[ing] alone, strong and free” unlike a flower harnessed by a pot (Polanco, stanza 5). Although a weed is generally negatively connotated, in this is poem its originality is admired by the author. Since weeds are less desirable, they have no restrictions therefore its free to be itself. This metaphor creates a message of individuality by changing the perspective of a weed to be more similar to the normal idea of a flower, which is to be loved and appreciated for all it is. Another literary device that contributes to the theme of individualism is imagery. The author prefers to “smell

Show More
Related

  • The Use Of Imagery In Imaginative Writing By Janet Burroway

    1046 Words  | 3 Pages

    The ability to make the reader immersed in the story and the main character is the best thing to have when writing a piece. It helps the reader decide whether to keep reading or not. This ability is known as imagery. Imagery is writing with metaphors and the five sense, which creates a scene for the reader. Imagery is basically the way the author shows the reader what the main character or narrator is seeing. Janet Burroway, author of “Imaginative Writing”, which is a book about writing and the components of it, states that Image is, “An image is a word or series of words that evokes one or more of the five senses.” (Burroway, 15) Imagery is very important and good authors know how to use it to add more meaning and power to their literature.

    Read More

  • The Standover Man Sparknotes

    917 Words  | 2 Pages

    “ The horizon was the color of milk. Cold and fresh. Poured out among the bodies” (Zusak 175). The device is used in the evidence of the quote by using descriptives words that create a mental image. The text gives the reader that opportunity to use their senses when reading the story. “Somehow, between the sadness and loss, Max Vandenburg, who was now a teenager with hard hands, blackened eyes, and a sore tooth, was also a little disappointed” (Zusak 188). This quote demonstrates how the author uses descriptive words to create a mental image which gives the text more of an appeal to the reader's sense such as vision. “She could see his face now, in the tired light. His mouth was open and his skin was the color of eggshells. Whisker coated his jaw and chin, and his ears were hard and flat. He had a small but misshapen nose” (Zusak 201). The quotes allows the reader to visualize what the characters facial features looked like through the use of descriptive words. Imagery helps bring the story to life and to make the text more exciting. The reader's senses can be used to determine the observations that the author is making about its characters. The literary device changes the text by letting the reader interact with the text by using their observation skills. The author is using imagery by creating images that engages the reader to know exactly what's going on in the story which allows them to

    Read More

  • Identity And Empowerment In Juan Felipe Herrera's Poem 'Borderbus'

    362 Words  | 1 Pages

    In a story of identity and empowerment, Juan Felipe Herrera’s poem “Borderbus” revolves around two Honduran women grappling with their fate regarding a detention center in the United States after crawling up the spine of Mexico from Honduras. While one grapples with their survival, fixated on the notion that their identities are the ultimate determinant for their future, the other remains fixated on maintaining their humanity by insisting instead of coming from nothingness they are everything. Herrera’s poem consists entirely of the dialogue between the two women, utilizing diction and imagery to emphasize one’s sense of isolation and empowerment in the face of adversity and what it takes to survive in America.

    Read More

  • The Sounds Of Thunder Imagery Analysis

    102 Words  | 1 Pages

    The technique of imagery is the strongest technique Bradbury uses in his text, “ The sounds of Thunder”. Here we can see images in our head what is happening, and we can also smell it. We can smell what he is talking about because we all have probably smelled something nasty before and when we read the text, it reminded us of that scent. It is very important for authors to add imagery because it helps the reader imagine what is happening, therefore, he or she put themselves in the characters shoes and that gives them a better sense of the

    Read More

  • Imagery in Chopin’s Storm and John Steinbeck's The Chrysanthemums

    1298 Words  | 3 Pages

    A pattern of repeated words or phrases can have a significant impact in conveying a particular impression about a character or situation, or the theme of a story. In the story "The Storm," by Kate Chopin, and "The Chrysanthemums," by John Steinbeck, imagery is an integral element in the development of the characters and situation, as well as the development of theme.

    Read More

  • Imagery in Ragged Dick

    1324 Words  | 3 Pages

    Imagery plays a big part in the success of a novel. Different writers have different styles. The good thing about imagery is it makes room for the reader to put things together. The reader is allowed to interpret the story the way that they like. "Ragged Dick", Horatio Alger, Jr. did a great thing with imagery. While reading the novel readers had a change to envision many things that were mentioned in each chapter. Algar interconnected the appearances of the main character to his living arrangement. He also connected these things with the character's attitude.

    Read More

  • Use of Diction and Imagery in Richard Wright’s Black Boy

    786 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...mple of imagery is when Richard’s friends run up to him with his article in their hands and a baffled look on their faces. This shows that Richard is a very talented writer for his age and that Richard is a very ambitious person because his school never taught him to write the way he does. This also shows that Richard took it upon himself to become a talented author and wants to be a writer when he grows up.

    Read More

  • Figurative Language In The Yellow Wallpaper

    701 Words  | 2 Pages

    The most prominent example of this is the imagery of the wallpaper and the way the narrator’s opinion on the wallpaper slowly changes throughout the story; this directly reflects what is happening within the narrator’s mind. At the beginning of the story, the narrator describes the wallpaper as “Repellent.revolting. a smoldering unclean yellow” (Gilman 377). As the story continues, the narrator starts to become obsessed with the wallpaper and her opinion of it has completely changed from the beginning. Symbolism plays a big part in “The Yellow Wallpaper” too.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Figurative Language In Eleven By Cisneros

    857 Words  | 2 Pages

    better connect with the writing. An example of imagery within the story would be “...I

    Read More

  • Theme Of The Century Quilt

    1123 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the literary techniques most prominently featured throughout the passage would be that of imagery. The author takes great care to interweave sentences comparing the traits

    Read More

  • Soto's Black Hair

    812 Words  | 2 Pages

    Soto’s “Black Hair” is a perfect example of a poem that is effective through close analysis of certain concrete images which hold the key to the foundation of the poem and its underlying themes. In this poem, the universal themes of family and culture are hidden under the figure of Hector Moreno, the image of the narrator’s hair, as well as the extended baseball metaphor about culture. Although the title may seem ordinary at first glance, the challenge that the poem presents through its connection of concrete images and themes is very intriguing, and the themes are made clear through the effective use of certain poetic elements.

    Read More

  • Comparing “Snapping Beans” by Lisa Parker, “Nighttime Fires” by Regina Barreca, “Love Poem” by John Frederick Nims, and “Song” by John Donne

    799 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ictures for the reader. The similar use of personification in “Snapping Beans” by Lisa Parker and the use of diction and imagery in “Nighttime Fires” by Regina Barreca support how the use of different poetic devices aid in imagery. The contrasting tones of “Song” by John Donne and “Love Poem” by John Frederick Nims show how even though the poems have opposite tones of each other, that doesn’t mean the amount of imagery changes.

    Read More

  • Portraying Ad Magic Through A Literary Elements in White Horse

    956 Words  | 2 Pages

    Particularly tree, one of the main, elements used bu Thom Jones in his story "A white Horse" , Symbolism (designed to convey impressions by suggestion rather than by direct statement), Contrast (which is a distinction between two ideas, objects or co lours.

    Read More

  • Comparing Imagery in Flying a Red Kite and The Lamp at Noon

    1950 Words  | 4 Pages

    Imagery is used by many authors as a crucial element of character development. These authors draw parallels between the imagery in their stories and the main characters' thoughts and feelings. Through intense imagery, non-human elements such as the natural environment, animals, and inanimate objects are brought to life with characteristics that match those of the characters involved.

    Read More

  • What You Pawn You Will Redeem Summary

    1097 Words  | 3 Pages

    A good example of imagery can be found at the end of the story in the last paragraph. For this part of imagery, the main character Jackson Jackson has received his grandmother’s regalia from the pawn shop employee without having to pay the total of $999 he originally had to pay. (Alexie) “I took my grandmother’s regalia and walked outside. I knew that solitary yellow bead was part of me. I knew I was that yellow bead in part. Outside, I wrapped myself in my grandmother’s regalia and breathed her in. I stepped off the sidewalk and into the intersection. Pedestrians stopped. Cars stopped. The city stopped. They all watched me dance with my grandmother. I was my grandmother, dancing.” This statement made at the end of the story indicates a strong sense of imagery that details Jackson’s emotions towards getting his grandmother’s regalia from the pawn shop. The yellow bead he mentions was his strongest symbol of feeling toward his grandmother, feeling as if he were a part of that yellow bead, in this case, his grandmother. Jackson describes in more detail of how he felt more like his grandmother after he wrapped the regalia around him. The pedestrians, city, everything around him was watching him feel like his grandmother, like some sort of flashback he could be

    Read More

More about Julio Polanco's Poem Identity

Open Document