Approaching Poetry Reflection Essay
Completing the steps to approach a poem gave me an enriching experience in that it helped me have a better understanding on how effective one should approach a poem to ensure that it is well understood. My biggest surprise in the process is based on the fact that my understanding of poems significantly increased. The experience provoked my conscience towards poems unlike previously where I used to approach poems as mere abstract stories, I have developed an understanding that there are several strategies that one can follow to have a better understanding. For example I have learnt that for better understanding of a poem, one must find look at the poem, read it aloud, visualize the images and then identify the central theme. The theme of a poem for instance gives the message the author wants to communicate to the audience. My biggest surprise in after completing the steps to approach a poem is on the fact that a poem requires more attention for improved understanding. Approaching Poetry Reflection Essay
From the required poems, I find The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot as the one that left me with a lot of vivid images in my mind. The author used an evocative language that brings strong images, feelings and memories to my mind to the extent of carrying along to the world of the narrator. For instance “Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets” and “muttering retreats” brings the image of the narrator’s urban life of loneliness and disillusionment. Also, the phrase “In the room the women come and go, talking of Michelangelo” is repeated in the poem and it creates a sense of feeling that women are engaging in conversations about figures like those of Michelangelo to depict their cultural superiority. Further, this phrase emphasizes the dept to the manner in which the human experience is portrayed in the poem. Approaching Poetry Reflection Essay
Allusion and imagery are two of the poetic devices that stand out in the poem, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” Allusion is widely used in the poem to help in underscoring the meaning of the poem. For instance, the repeated phrase, “In the room the women come and go, talking of Michelangelo,” the narrator makes reference to Michelangelo a renowned artist to make a contrast between the heroism associated with Michelangelo’s name and the women’s mundane. The allusion portrays the feeling of alienation and inadequacy. Also, the mention of Michelangelo as well indicates the narrator’s disillusionment with his world.
Imagery as well has been sufficiently used in the poem to create sensory and mental images for the audience. The phrase “Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets” creates an image of loneliness and isolation. Also, the phrase “sawdust restaurants” is an image to mean that the restaurants are either not appealing or dirty. These images create a deep feeling of the narrator’s world of urban life.
Assignment 4-2: Quick Write Response Essay
The most important concepts in this lesson are aligned to approaching poetry and the tips to employ for a better understanding of poetry. For instance, the steps highlighted helps one to have a different perspective of poems as well as helps to ensure that the audience understands the poem as appropriate. For instance, if one is in a position to identify the theme of the poem, it will be important to understand the entire poem. Some of the most important terms I identified in this lesson include imagery and allusion. Imagery is the use of symbols or a figurative language that creates a mental picture. Imagery can as well be used to convey the theme of a poem. Allusion on the other hand is the reference to a circumstance from a different context and the audience is left to make the connection. Approaching Poetry Reflection Essay
An aspect that made the least sense was the concept of scansion which involves the marking of unstressed and stressed syllables in a poem, an aspect that I found to be particularly challenging. Practically, it was difficult for me to swiftly identify these syllables by myself and hence, I need more guidance to master the art. More examples will be of great benefit to me so that I can as well benefit from this lesson.
From this lesson, I would like to know more about the different types of poetry as well as the impact of each type on the meaning of a poem. For instance, I would like to know more about how to differentiate the various types of poems such as Haiku, Free verse, Sonnet, Acrostic and Villanelle. Further, I intend to know the unique features among these poems and importance of these poems and when and how they are applied to the advancement of poetry. I would as well like to know how a change of the structure of a poem changes its meaning. Approaching Poetry Reflection Essay
This lesson relates to many things that I have learnt outside class such as the ability of art to pass a thoughtful message. As a fan of music, I find that the use of music can provoke an emotional moment in our lives and carry us to a specific circumstance or situation that one previously experienced. In this scenario, poetry has employed various devices such as allusion to make the audience have a connection to previous events or circumstances similar to how music brings an emotional connection between various circumstances of human experiences. Approaching Poetry Reflection Essay
Reflection Paper 4: Vivid Portrayal of Human Experience
A poem that I think is a vivid portrayal of the human experience is the road not taken by Robert Frost. The poem specifically emphasizes on how human beings are faced situations in their lives that requires them to make decisions. Sometimes, none of the available choices seems right. The poem presents a metaphorical reflection of a journey that portrays the hard decisions humans encounter in the day to day life. For instance, Frost presents a traveler at the fork in the road. The traveler encounters two roads none of which he seems to know its destiny. This metaphorical presentation of a traveler facing to roads that he doesn’t know their destiny present the moments where humans must make decisions in their lives.
Deeper into the poem, the narrator presents how the traveler contemplates on the road to take and the final road eventually taken, using a vivid description such as “grassy and wanted wear.” These visuals help to present how it is difficult for the traveler to make either decision. What makes the poem outstanding in portrayal of the human experience is the emotional feeling associated with poem. For instance, the phrase, “I took the one less traveled… has made all the difference” indicates the boldness in the traveler to chose the most unique path and also states that it has significantly shaped their journey to personal growth. This poem presents a common experience among humans where choosing the most unconventional path in life can lead to uncertainties that can influence the humans life either negatively or positively. Approaching Poetry Reflection Essay
The poem presents the universal human experience of the consequences of choice. While humans are free to make choices, the consequences can have detrimental impacts tat adversely affects one’s life or act as the stepping stone to a better future. Humans are always unsure of which path to take or what the impact is likely to be. Therefore, this poem highlights the weight associated with decision making. Frost tries to depict the fear, uncertainty and hope that is associated with the decisions humans make thereby depicting how humans constantly navigate through obstacles and crossroads in their lives.
In conclusion, the poem, the road not taken vividly portrays the human experience depicting the freedom of choice and its consequences. The poet underscores the individuality associated with the decision making process where, he allows the audience to relate to their own journeys and contemplate how some decisions they made early in life changed their lives. Approaching Poetry Reflection Essay