A Reflection on Life: It Goes On
Sometimes life can be a little hectic, things may get entirely too difficult, and there will be people that may want to bring others down or see them fall. Gwendolyn Brooks’s poem, “A Speech to the Young,” is a refreshing reminder to simply stop worrying so much about negative people and to quit stressing over the future. She encourages her readers to just take life as it comes, and live in the present time. We could all use this kind of positivity that Brooks seems to be encouraging her readers to do throughout her poem. The message of this poem was clearly evident, and certainly made a motivating statement to all young adults (and regular adults too) that need to hear these wise words of wisdom. You are far too young to be stressed out; trust me when I say it will be okay.
This specific poem initially stood out to me because I am young, and the title read “A Speech to the Young.” Young folks seem to be the intended audience here, but after reading the poem I realized that it could be a poem for anyone that needs to be reminded to live in the present time or to get us back in line. I personally tend to overthink many insignificant things. On behalf of the young adults, over analyzing and panicking
This line means that even though one may be worried about the trials and tribulations that tomorrow may hold, or maybe regretting the mistakes that have been made in past days; life will go on anyway. The sun will always rise and set. Line 8 follows by confirming that sense of reassurance with the simple line: “You will be right.” The assonance, rhyming words, “night” and “right” bring these lines together. Yes, everything will be okay and it will all work out in the end. Sometimes a simple line such as this one may be needed in order to get back in check. A little goes a long
The article “A Letter To My Younger Self” written by Terrance Thomas is made to motivate readers, especially teenagers that share similar concerns and emotions as the author’s younger self. By writing a letter to his younger self, Terrance created a motivational and melancholic tone. The style of writing is, therefore, informal with a poetic touch to it. The article is written to motivate readers which results in it to have a motivational and melancholic tone. “Those moments of fear, inadequacy, and vulnerability that you have been running from, are the moments that will shape you.”.
In today’s society, one of the most natural human traits is selfishness. David Foster Wallace incorporated this idea in his commencement speech at Kenyon College in 2005. Wallace aims to persuade his audience that, “the most obvious, ubiquitous, important realities are often the ones that are the hardest to see and talk about.” Although the intended audience of his speech is the graduates and staff, along with their friends and family, the piece has become quite popular since its delivery. Wallace offers, “nothing less than the truth” and captivates the listeners with his complete honestly. His personal tone lets the audience feel like they are a part of the conversation, rather than just receiving it. Wallace successfully conveys his message that society is blind to the world around them through the use of logic, humility and emotional appeals.
Alexander Stephens was the vice president of the Confederate states of America during the civil war (1861-1865) and he is the one who gave the famous speech known as “the Cornerstone Speech” where he stated openly the ideas on which the new government was founded: the supremacy of whites over blacks. Stephens played an important role in drafting the new constitution and he had the opportunity to present the new form of government in the speech that took place in Savannah on March 21, 1861.
Before reading this poem there are many things that have to be taken into consideration such as Young’s background, education, ideology and phraseology. Kevin Young starts off the poem
Ask anyone, and most children choose summer as their favorite time of year. To them, nothing beats time out of school with your family and friends hitting the beaches. But go back about 80 years from now, and the summer became trimmed not with beaches and cheer, but with uncertainty and fear. In Britain, a lonely isle in a caldron of political turmoil, one Englishman, arguably the best leader Britain had ever had, concerned himself not with popsicles and baseball, but with his country’s very existence. War boiled over in Europe in a few weeks, and Winston Churchill gave one of his most famous speeches to try to rouse his greatest ally- the United States. By analyzing and explaining the purpose and audience, subject, and voice of his speech, we will see just how desperate England had become.
During 2008, Barack Obama delivered his speech called Toward A More Perfect Union, this was during his presidential campaign. The majority of his speech was about race and America. Barack Obama had a very unique perspective than many people in America, because he is biracial and he was raised by his white grandparents. When you are biracial or mixed, society makes you pick which race you are instead of being both. For example, Obama was either seen as too black or not white enough, even though is equally both white and black. Obama successfully uses his own story to address racial divisions in the United States, he is able be relatable and give a real life example.
ThThe notion of getting older, one day has too frightened me. I wonder what could I have done in the past to change the future. I reminisce of all the things I have done with the people that I love. But, at the end the day, I look forward to getting older. I look forward to the memories that I will make, which one day will be stories told between two friends or family members about their crazy grandmother Gabriella. E.B. White 's essay represents the fears that adults, but mostly parents, face when seeing children grow up and experience life the same way they once did. These nostalgic moments turn to fear of losing their youth. I believe that White 's essay is a manifestation of a mid-life crisis that fails to show what life has to offer after
The mother, on the other hand, is very adamant that the child should not go because it is dangerous. It is obvious that the child is concerned about the events surrounding the march and wants to be part of the movement. The child expresses these feelings in a way the appears mature and cognizant of the surrounding world, expressing a desire to support the civil rights movement rather than to?go out and play.? The desire to no longer be seen as a child and have her voice heard by those being marched against and by her mother (who can also be seen as an oppressive form of authority in this poem) is expressed by the first few lines. The opinion of the child is much like that of all young people who want to fight for their freedom.
It's about sunlight. It's about the special way that dawn spreads out on a river when you know you must cross the river and march into the mountains and do things you are afraid to do. It's about love and memory. It's about sorrow. It's about sisters who never write back and people who never listen.” -pg. 85
In a typical family, there are parents that expected to hear things when their teenager is rebelling against them: slamming the door, shouting at each other, and protests on what they could do or what they should not do. Their little baby is growing up, testing their wings of adulthood; they are not the small child that wanted their mommy to read a book to them or to kiss their hurts away and most probably, they are thinking that anything that their parents told them are certainly could not be right. The poem talks about a conflict between the author and her son when he was in his adolescence. In the first stanza, a misunderstanding about a math problem turns into a family argument that shows the classic rift between the generation of the parent and the teenager. Despite the misunderstandings between the parent and child, there is a loving bond between them. The imagery, contrasting tones, connotative diction, and symbolism in the poem reflect these two sides of the relationship.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading David Berman’s poem “Self-Portrait at 28”. Reading this poem made me feel sad, pensive and nostalgic for the events in my life that I miss. I’m not twenty eight, but I feel like the events that the persona talked about in this poem were very universal. I also sympathize with the persona’s depression and feeling with loneliness. I can relate to feel like I am bothering someone while I am talking to them. I often get scared reaching out to people because I am always afraid I am bothering them. The voice is this poem were very strong. The uses of imagery, tone and symbolism help make this poem strong.
(1) "My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors." Starting with the opening lines of the speech, a shift from the style of Bush, with the multitudes of “my fellow Americans” is evident. Obama’s form of address can be perceived as more inclusive, including all nationalities and ethnicities, applying a more citizen-centered attitude. Also, this style of Obama can be explained on the lines of that citizenry is the cornerstones of the American republic, and that the whole system is based on a grass root diplomacy, rather than an exclusive and elitist system of Bush. Strong Citizenry. (2) "That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age." Obama not only condemns "greed and irresponsibility” of the individuals when commenting on the effects of the global financial crisis, but also criticizes the "collective failure" of the system, the former being prosecutable, the latter not. So the problem will require a major, institutional reform. The president acknowledges the ongoing war on terror; however, he makes no reference to the terrorist organization al-Qaeda. A preponderance of the possessive pronoun “our” indicates unity of the people in the time of national peril.
The theme of this poem is that although things may be bad , if you keep your head up, and fight everyday for what you believe in, then you can achieve and make the future better. You must leave the past behind you, and you will achieve what you want in the future.
Tonight we stand at a crossroad where each one of use will take a new direction in our life's journey. Walt Whitman said "Not I - not anyone else can travel that road for you. You must travel it for yourself." Where we end up isn't the most important decision, but instead it is the road we choose to take to get there. The road we take is what we will look back on and call our life. Life is a journey of everyday experiences, teaching us moment in, moment out, who we really are. It's important to remember these words "Happiness is to be found along the way, not at the end of the road, for then the journey is over and it is too late."
In the poetry of William Blake and William Wordsworth, this difference between children and adults and their respective states of mind is articulated and developed. As a person ages, they move undeniably from childhood to adulthood, and their mentality moves with them. On the backs of Blake and Wordsworth, the reader is taken along this journey.