Reference no: EM133392184

Assignment:

Use the poem: Peter Meinke, "Advice to My Son"

ANALYSIS: Once we have a sense of those expectations, let's look at the four poems in this unit: Peter Meinke's "Advice to My Son," Theodore Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz," Robert Hayden's "Those Winter Sundays," and Li-Young Lee's "Eating Alone." Think about which poems come from the father's perspective and which ones come from the perspective of a child; then, choose one poem and answer the following questions about that poem.

1. From what point of view is the poem written? Is the author writing in the present, or is he reflecting on a past relationship? What clues in the poem help you to understand that point of view? How would you characterize the relationship between the father and child? Describe the kind of relationship it seems to be.
2. Next, look for important images and symbols in the poem: what are they? If you need a starting point, consider the fact that food, labor, and gardening are common themes in most of these poems. Why would those things be associated with fathers? Do these images or symbols have similar or different effects in the poems? Compare one image or symbol that is used in two poems and explain how it is used similarly or differently by the two poets.
3. Consider the emotional effect that the symbol or image has on the reader and the relevance it has in each poem; is it humorous, sad, frightening, or confused? What does the imagery and symbolism show you about the way the child sees/views/feels about his father?
4. Then, consider the way that one of these authors might use sound or diction to great effect. Where do you find alliteration in the poem? Assonance? Consonance? Are there any particular words that stand out to you due to their being unusually placed or out of sync with the other types of words that are being used? For instance, does the writer shift from simple language to more complex, or vice versa? Are there rhetorical questions being asked? Explain why the author might use sound or diction in these ways.