Pick one of the poems, and tell me what it means to you. If you wish, you can pick two poems, but their theme or overall message should be the same. Your thesis should be what you see as the main lesson. Suggestion: Google the poems and look for images. You’ll get some good ideas about what other people find interesting about these great writers and the poems.
1. Don’t forget your title. Please double-space, and use 12-pt fonts as well as one-inch margins.
2. Include the writer’s name in your introduction. Poem titles should be enclosed in quotation marks.
3. In the body paragraphs, use at least two Literary Elements for Major Paper 4 noted at the end of these directions. Underline or highlight these words in your essay. How do these elements affect the theme, as noted in your thesis statement? Also, when you refer to specific lines from the poem, include the line numbers either within the text or write “line 28” (for example) within parenthesis after the appropriate reference. You might also use the same ideas that you used in your prewriting.
Include specific details that support your thesis. Do not simply summarize the poems.
Please enjoy telling me which poem(s) you liked the best. You might even compare the poem that you selected to a song, movie, painting, or tv show. The main goal: Help me to understand what you believe is the lesson or message in one (or two similar) poem(s) that you were required to read for this assignment. Don’t feel that you have to understand everything about the poems. It’s ok! Also, the LAC is still here to help.
4. Sources: two academic journals from Alabama Virtual Library or Google Scholar. Don’t forget to cite them (following MLA format) within your paper (no web addresses) and in the Works Cited.
5. Length: 700 words, with the last page being a Works Cited. There will be at least three sources in the Works Cited: the poem you selected and the two sources you found and that you will cite in your paper. If you decide to work with two poems, you will have a total of four sources in the Works Cited.
6. Add a concluding paragraph. Focus on an important point. Sum up.
7. There should be no grammatical or citation errors. Please proofread.
Literary Elements: pick two to include in your paper (These are also listed in the prewriting exercises located in the Daily Assignments):
“Mending Wall” by Robert Frost
– Personification: This poem is about two people; one wonders why they continue with a tradition that separates them; the other farmer likes the tradition, but doesn’t explain why. How would you describe the speaker’s personality?
– Setting: Some homes and yards have fences around them to protect the property. What does the wall symbolize? Do these farmers communicate? Sometimes, we don’t feel like communicating. Can you think of times when walls are useful?
– Simile or metaphor: Do you see anything that is being compared?
“I’m Nobody! Who Are You?” by Emily Dickinson
– Personification: How would describe the speaker’s personality?
– Irony: Is there anything ironic in this poem? The speaker doesn’t need to be seen or noticed, but she is drawing attention to herself. How so?
– Setting: Why does she use a frog pond with croaking and nature sounds? Are we like frogs?
– Simile or metaphor: Do you see anything that is being compared?
Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes
– Personification: How would you describe the speaker? How old do you think she is? What part of the country do you think she is from?
– Simile or Metaphor: The staircase is a metaphor (symbol) for ….What do you think? It takes strength to climb a staircase, right?
– Symbols: Do you see any other symbols? What might the tacks or splinters symbolize?
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