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No rhyme scheme. Words that ar used sound very pretty and elegent and are fun to say. Poem goes in unexpected turn. Starts off very casual and cutesy but the with the each stanza the peom gets darker and darkere in an surprising way. Literal and metaphorical meanings of things mixed in, makes more of a mood and more of an impact on me. Not sure if he is literally talking about the death of his brother and sister or if he is using that as a metaphorical comparison to his shoes. Or if the shoes are a metaphorical comparision to the death of his brother and sister..? Written in first person, and sets the tone for me, a more personal tone and more insightful/trustworthy  information because its coming straight from the author. Not sure who the “you” is the narrator is speaking too. First stanza talks about shoes, second brother and sister, third books, fourth religeon and the fourth seems to be a wrap of up of adjectives thruought the poem.

Short and sweet poem. ABAB rhyme scheme throughout the entire poem. Personifies the wind first thinga nd then the rest of the poem is the description of the wind. He calls the wind “he”, the reason for personifying wind as a he has seems to have an important underlaying meaning. What exactly is the author trying to say with the personifying of the wind? Describes the wind having body parts of a man and uses them with human emotions. The humam actions that the wind are described doing mirror the qualities of wind. Metaphor of wind and man leave a very distinct image and feeling on the reader after reading the poem.

“Who goes with Fergus?” by William Butler Yeats

The name ‘fergus’ is a specific name that creates a specific mood of the writing and poem. Only first stanza has structured rhyme scheme. The author is adressing a young man in a way of advising. The author knows Fergus. the qualities of Fergus are illustrated twice throghout the poem; once in the first stanza, once in the second. The meaning of the name Fergus, and the importance of the person himself have great power in the authors life. To me, fergus is depicted as a godly type and someone who is very knowledgable. what does the author want to say with the charcter Fergus?

very concise thoughts, no complete sentences. lines get longer as the poem goes on. alot of imagery. imagery involving color and light. no rhyme scheme or obvious poem structure or meter. the entire poem feels like one sentance and one thought. Conclusion and understanding of the entire poem becomes clear in the last sentence. Author uses uses metaphors mixed with the literal use of light, color and god. The entire concept of the poem is up for interpretation, seems like author intetially left alot up in the air for the reader to decide. No exact idea being portrayed in the poem.

“The Term”

no punctuation and no purposeful rhyming. When read, very rhythmic and concise. three sentances per stanza. there are only three words in every line. the entire poem is painting and image in the readers head of a rumpled paper bag. The paper bag is a metaphor used by the author to resemble something bigger but to me is still a little unclear. Thought process is a little all over the place, subject of the imagery and phrase changes alot. Causes the reader to stay alert while reading in order to catch all the imagery that supports the authors overall abstract metaphor.

The word rain is the most resonating word. “rain” is in every line, and referring to the rain as a noun and a thing in its literal sense. “the rain” is repeated at the beginning of every sentence. Each sentence is a finished thought, no playing around with meter, just simply after a sentence is done, a new line is created. The narrator is talking to another person and referring to them as “you” the repeated use of “you” makes the audience and made me feel like the narrator was speaking to me. No punctuation, only period at the end. Happy, satisfied and calm tone/mood of the poem. Images of fresh rain come to mind, then images of the quiet-ness and picture of a place where the rain has just ended. Not a gloomy, dull or sad image of rainy days and rain come to mind, the happier images do. Scents of fresh and new rain come to mind. No rhyme scheme or meter. The poem is very literal, but can have an underlying meaning. Does he literally just mean to write about the pros of rain and his preference about rain? or is he trying to say something else and using the rain and its features as a metaphor?

Narrators point of view makes a distinction on both a woman and and mans perspective, unexpected b/c Langston Hughes is a man and would not not expect him to write about a woman’s view.  Language is slang-like and laid back but works very well with the meter (Language reminds me of the southern culture that you see so commonly on street corners in New Orleans, familiar and comforting). The male in the poem being called “Big Boy” makes me think about and want to know more about hese two people’s relationship (why is he called Big Boy?). The name “Big Boy” can be an adjective for alot of things (also notice that the woman in the poem is not named but referred to only as “she”). The title “50-50″ is understood only after reading the poem- like the lightbulb moment a reader has at the end of the read. The female figure in the poem is the desperate and the one in need of the man to be happy and asking for a “man”. Male figure is the one who has the power and the logical reason in the poem. “And your Money, too” is a surprising ending and kind of brings the entire poem to a whole different mood within one line. Like the shift and the cultivation of the entire poem in one small line at the end (money is now realized as the deciding factor between the two pple described in the poem)- Langston Hughes trying to say something about society? modern relationships?. (poem gives the reader something to think about and analyze, but also leaves the reader with satisfaction.

1.  Henry Thoreau lived from 1817-1862. He is famous for his experimental stay in the forest, wanting to be close to nature. He stayed by himself for 2 years and 2 months. Also known for his night spent in jail because of his resistance to an unjust law, he refused to pay unjustified taxes. He explains his entire philosophy of the law vs. unjust laws in his essay “Civil Disobedience” in Walden. Walden and Civil Disobedience are two of his most famous works. Many titles can be given to Thoreau, but i think the most appropriate are activist, abolitionist, philosopher, creative artist and a revolutionary contributor to community life.Thoreau was an idealist rather than an idealist, focusing his attention and energy towards what our society should be and could be, rather than what it is.

2. Walden is the forest that he lived in for 2 years and 2 months. The book that he published named Walden was his book on his experience in living well. Walden was published in 1854. The book is just a book on what had learned from this experiment, why he did it and the importance of the lesson. He related his stay in the woods to society and America as a whole. His entire life motivations, philosophy etc. are explained and shown in this book. This book was his way of getting his voice heard and sharing his ideals with the nation. He believed strongly in everything written in the book.

3.Alfred I. Tauber thought that Thoreau was a mirror of ourselves. A mirror of the civilian in American society. Ron Harter saw Thoreau as an excellent example and model for nature writing, and in the eyes of Lucius Furius- Thoreau was an ignored genius.

4. Thoreau would meditate for up to 10 hours a day.

1. Honestly I’m not sure Mamet titled the name “The Rake” when a rake had very little presence in the story. The only conclusion I can reach is that the scene with the rake kind of exploited the means of his whole childhood. For in a non-abusive family the incident with the rake would not have been a big deal. The reason the importance of the scene was stressed in the title is because it is the explanation of his childhood, and the prefect example when the author is trying to display the scars that were left from his bad childhood.

2. The tone of Mamet’s essay is a very realistic one. The tone in E.B. White’s essay was a dreamlike and fantastical tone. When reading the Rake the reader never doubted the reality of it or the symbolic used. In White’s essay the reader very frequently had to regain interpretation and think about what E.B. White meant with the language that he used.

1. E.B. White writes way more descriptive and creatively than Carver. In E.B. White’s writing there is a lot of detail and expressing on the environment and emotions of the story. Carver writes in a simple and sort of abstract way that makes the reader think about what is the actual meaning behind the story. E.B. White’s writing is very clear on what happening and what the meaning behind the circumstances and story are. I think it would be difficult for White to write the same story in Carver’s minimalist way. This story is so dependent on the sights, smells, feelings of the environment and the characters. And if it was written in a minimalist way it wouldn’t include all the details that make “Once More to the Lake” so distinctive.

2. E.B. White’s description yet again simply depicts the essence of the American Family. From the vacation traditions and the family quality time that is described the factors of the perfect family are truly present. The story doesn’t really tell us anything different about the family that we didnt already know, it simply says that yes on the outside the American Family is prefect with their traditions and vacation spots but always there is some heartbreak and conflict inside the depths of the family.

1. To me, Connie’s two sides came across as the typical sides of an American teenager. Connie is a bit of a rebel and doesn’t really feel loved or comfortable in her homelife so she feels the need to gain comfort with her friends and social life outside of the home. Connie’s side when shes at home is very angst-y but also doesnt like to get on her mother’s side to much. She keeps a distance from her family at home but while maintaining a friendly-ish but glum relationship. Connie outside the home is very full of life, very commanding of attention and is likeable and is a dreamer.

2. The commentary on family life that is made in this story is a sort of dark one. Although, some people might agree and comment that the depiction of the family in the story is the realistic one it is still not a very good light shined on it. In the story you see the lack of communication and the overwhelming feelings that all seemed to be bottled up and never let out. Because of the lack of communication everyone in the family seems to be hurt and suffering in their own way.

1. Carvers style of writing gives the piece an abstract feeling. The style of his writing takes away from the realistic feel of the story. With his simplistic writing the reader feels as tho the story is being told in sort of a fantasy world, because in the real world things are not that simple and straight forward. Also because of the way the story is told the reader gets sort of an eerie vibe because we are not sure who is telling the story. it is an unknown person that is watching the story unfold and that is writig it. 

2. “The Bath” characterizes the modern family because the themes and way of life shown through the writing summarizes what the american family is. Starting with the birthday cake there are “american” themes that are used in the book. The physical features that are described of the characters are features that an all american family would have. The mentioning of the dog at the house hints about the american family. The all american family is certainly the family that is described and told in “The Bath”.