In the “On the Subway” the author portrays two different worlds coming together. It exemplifies each individual's differences and opinion towards one another. Sharon also describes how each world refers to each other and how eventually both worlds come together as one. The poem starts with two boys from different races in opposite side of a train. That itself symbolizes the separation among races and color. The author uses simile to describe the boys apparel; for example, the narrator describes the clothe of the african american boy as “ black sneakers with complex patterns like a set of international scars.” Then he refers the colors red as the color of the inside of his body. This sentence is both a simile and imagery. The white
In this poem, “On the Subway”, written by Sharon Olds brings two worlds into proximity. We will identify the contrast that develops both portraits in the poem and discuss the insights the narrator comes to because of the experience. The author refers to several literary techniques as tone, poetic devices, imagery, and organization. The poem talks about a historical view based on black and white skin. It positions the two worlds the point of view of a black skinned and a white skinned. The boy is described as having a casual cold look for a mugger and alert under the hooded lids. On the other hand, based on his appearance the white skinned person felt threatened by the black boy. She was frightened that he could take her coat, brief case, and
...he theme of the poem is that no matter how young or old you are you are still a subject to racism think what happens in your childhood affects who you are in the future. Countee Cullen experienced racism at age eight from a white kid who was not much older than him. This most definitely shaped how he viewed whites in general.
The two poems are two extreme sides of the Negro mentality. They do not leave opportunity for other Blacks to move. They are both required complete conformity. The short story was about Blacks weighting their options. It shows that Blacks can think logically about their action.
“Tunnel” by Sarah Ellis is about a sixteen-year old boy who is looking for a job. He gets a job as a babysitter, and has to look after a girl name Elizabeth, Ib for short. Ib and Ken go for an exploration mission, as he calls it, ending up at a recognizable place from Ken's childhood. Ib enters this place, endangers herself, and requires assistance from Ken. Ken and Ib hear voices that will only disappear upon hearing Ken and Ib’s real name. Ken helps Ib, and they leave, trying to forget about the traumatic experience. This story was able to positively depict the elements of a short story through the point of view, theme, and the mood of the story.
In Sharon Old’s, “On The Subway,” the speaker compares her life to a black boy. She compares their different lives and the different positive or negative connotations that may be associated with them. Olds does this with her use of metaphors, similes, and imagery.
Both poems use figurative language to unveil the message. The first poem Tableau uses a metaphors, similes, and imagery. “Locked arm in arm they cross the way.” The poet shows the two opposites are friends. “The golden splendor of the day / The sable pride of the night” The white boy represents the day, while the black boy represents the night. The
In the beginning of the poem Cullen uses the literary device of imagery to help his readers understand the vast difference between the classes in society. Cullen describes the children
The poem opens upon comparisons, with lines 3 through 8 reading, “Ripe apples were caught like red fish in the nets/ of their branches. The maples/ were colored like apples,/part orange and red, part green./ The elms, already transparent trees,/ seemed swaying vases full of sky.” The narrator’s surroundings in this poem illustrate him; and the similes suggest that he is not himself, and instead he acts like others. Just as the maples are colored like apples, he
The poem contains the central idea that many of these children never understood what home really means. In Native American culture the people venerate earth and it is referred to as mother nature which we see in the poem. The rails cut right through their home but they don’t view them like the average person. They view the tracks as if they are scars across mother earths face and her face is the Native American’s homeland. She is scarred for eternity but she is perfect in their dreams. This symbolism is ironic because the children try to reach home using the railroad that ruined natural life for them and many other Native Americans. In the second stanza the speaker says “The worn-down welts of ancient punishments lead back and fourth” (15-16). Which can be talking about the marks on the children’s bodies after getting caught while running away. But the “word-down welts” can also symbolize the welts that were put on mother nature throughout history. The last five lines of the poem sums up the symbol of hope through their memories and dreams. The last line of the poem says, “the spines of names and leaves.” (20-24). The “spines” symbolize the physical strength of the children and their ability to maintain hope individually “names”, and for their tribe
The poem begins "I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother." From those two lines alone, one can see that he is proud of who he is and introducing himself to the reader. In the line "I, too, sing America" he is explaining that he is an American like everyone else in the country, but he is only of a darker skin color as he follows up in line two with "I am the darker brother." He says that even though he is of another color he is still an American and he should not be treated any differently from any other American.
The poem also focuses on what life was like in the sixties. It tells of black freedom marches in the South how they effected one family. It told of how our peace officers reacted to marches with clubs, hoses, guns, and jail. They were fierce and wild and a black child would be no match for them. The mother refused to let her child march in the wild streets of Birmingham and sent her to the safest place that no harm would become of her daughter.
In “on the Subway” the author Sharon Olds talks about two characters on a subway, by using similes and imagery.
Those described in the poem are described majorly as being distant from one another; they are disconnected socially and emotionally. Although the man and woman are right next to each other -- their hands close, but not touching -- they do not even know each other. There is also the man across from them with a hunch back, living
Furthermore, the opening “I stand” sets e assertive tone in the [poem. The speaker never falters in presenting the complexity of her situation, as a woman, a black [person], and a slave. The tone set at the beginning also aid the audience to recognize that the speaker in the “white man’s violent system” is divided by women, and black by whites. The slave employs metaphors, which Barrett use to dramatized imprisonment behind a dark skin in a world where God’s work of creating black people has been cast away. To further illustrate this she described the bird as “ little dark bird”, she also describes the frogs and streams as “ dark frogs” and “ dark stream ripple” Through the use of her diction she convey to readers that in the natural world unlike the human one, there is no dark with bad and light with good, and no discrimination between black and white people.
The writer of the poem is Langston Hughes. Since he was young, the color of his skin is what set him back. “He was black, poor, and full of dreams that were not likely to come true.”(Dyson) This poem relates those situations to the audience throught the use of metaphors. He begins the poem by speaking of a dream he had a long time ago. He compared the dream to the sun by the use of metaphors. The poem states, “But it was there then, In front of me, Bright like a sun— My dream.”(Hughes) The bright sun represents this dream which he had in front of him, clear and vivid. It seems as if the dream is reachable, allowing him to believe he is capable of accomplishing and reaching it. However, soon an obstacle appears which blocks him from being able to reach his goal.