Poetry is used to send a variety of messages, either through its imagery, meaning, or by the poetic devices used. Each and every poem has something special and unique to offer to the reader, as long as the reader looks deep enough to find it. “Lone Bather'; written by A.M. Klein, and “The Swimmer'; by Irving Layton both offer such messages to the reader. At first glance, these messages seem surprising similar, but after further examination they are in fact strikingly different. The similarities are most evident in the imagery and use of poetic devices, however there are some cases where they are contrary. Meanwhile the differences are most obvious in the meaning, but due to the general similar themes of the two poems, some similarities are found.
The imagery used in the two poems is very similar at times. Both authors describe to the readers a picturesque view of nature, like plants blooming in the springs. Proof of this is found in “Lone Bather'; : “ is plant with lilies bursting from its heels.'; Similarly, in “The Swimmer'; the first stanza reads “ opening the spray corollas'; which also means the blooming of flowers or plants. This similarity is very strong, as it helps to paint the same picture in the reader’s head. Both describe a very beautiful scene of nature involving the blossoming of a plant, perhaps reflecting the changes the character might go through.
However, there is one fact that distinguishes the imagery in “Lone Bather'; from the imagery used in “The Swimmer.'; The “Lone Bather'; tends to describe a softer, calmer image, while “The Swimmer'; seems to have a rougher, more darkened picture it paints for the reader. For example, in “Lone Bather';: “ He rolls in his heap of fruit, he slides his belly over the melonrinds of water, curved and smooth and green.'; This seems to illustrate the peacefulness of the situation, almost creating a lazy, calm atmosphere. However, the imagery within “The Swimmer'; is quite opposite. “The Swimmer'; tends to portray a scene of force, as there is no evidence of the peaceful interaction between man and water as found in “Lone Bather.'; Evidence of such force ...
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...er. Either way, the huge difference is that the swimmer has left something behind, his boyhood and he is now a man. Meanwhile in Klein’s poem he ends with : “ the towel which rubs the bird, the plant, the dolphin back again personable plain.'; This is so significant to the meaning and theme of this poem as it obviously explains that after all effects of the experience are over, shown by the drying with the towel, the bather goes back to the plain old person who he was before, leaving the shapes that were formed in the water behind.
Both these poems do indeed have unique interpretations, depending on the reader. However, the methods that the two great poets used to make send those powerful messages are sometimes similar, but in this case largely different. Once one looks past the similarities of man entering water, the two poems have entirely different stories to tell, in very contrasting ways. Each poet has used effective diction, as well as very striking symbolism and imagery. The fact that they are different just shows how many ways there are to write a great poem, the only thing needed in common is the desire, feeling and will.
The first poem by Ackerman is about two lovers who find their own special place to make love: under water. The writer describes the captured moment over four stanzas of the undersea world, describing physical attributes and actions with marine life. The woman in the poem is described as “his sea-geisha / in an orange kimono / of belts and vests, / her lacquered hair waving” (Lines 24-27) and the man with “his sandy hair / and sea-blue eyes, his kelp thin waist / and chest ribbed wider / than a sandbar / where muscles domed / clear and taunt as shells” (Lines 34-40) Ackerman’s poem has a feeling of tranquility and patience, capturing the moment and enhancing it to its fullest extent. She portrays sex as a beautiful act, saying “he pum...
Although both poems are set in the same environment, and that the visual structure of the poems are similar. Once you look deeper and analysis the poems it becomes clear that they have been written in very different styles, and very different but as powerful emotions running through them i.e. grief and resignment. One poet has a future to look forward to; the other knows that death is around the corner. One poet could not have for scene a death, the other is questioning weather the ‘black diamond dust’ was worth it on reflection.
The main ideas that are expressed in John Cheever's The Swimmer, is how Neddy lives through a variety of stages of alcoholism and how they each affect his everyday life. In The Swimmer, Neddy takes daily swims through multiple swimming pools. This represents the journeys in his life. He goes from being cheerful to complete sadness and depression. When Neddy is or is not swimming also represents the emotions he is going through. For example, when Neddy is not swimming, he will feel down or angry for no apparent reason. Because of his alcohol addiction, he is usually looking for alcohol during this period of time. Once he has had a few drinks, he is feeling much better and is ready to swim again. “He needed a drink. Whiskey would warm him, pick him up, carry him ...
different stages of the poet's life. The two poems are very different. "The Fish" was
Foremost, both stories are about men who once were very prosperous, but created their own demise. In “The Swimmer”, Neddy, the main character, initially seems to have a perfect life. “His life was not confining and the delight he took in this observation could not be explained...” (Cheever 216) He had a perfect family, high social status and very few problems in his life, or so he thought. His life is so wonderful that anything objectionable is repressed. Not until he takes the “journey” into realization, where he learns through others that his life has fallen apart. Neddy’s character is very similar to Charlie from “Babylon Revisited”. Charlie was very splendid in fortune until, he lost both his wife and his daughter due to his uncontrollable alcoholism. However, after “controlling” his drinking problem, he decides that he wants nothing to d...
These two poems may seem like very similar poems at first glance, but when they are picked apart line for line to find the true meaning, they are much different. The underlying themes of these poems aren’t even close to one another. One poem describes a moment that changed a teenager’s life, causing him to mature in the process. The other poem describes how nature, man, and technology can hurt and better each other. By saying these poems are the same simply because they are about animals dying would be merely scratching the surface of what these poems are about.
Bloom, Harold, ed. "'The Swimmer'." John Cheever, Bloom's Major Short Story Writers. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= BMSSJC43&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 25, 2011).
Although the imagery in each poem is distinct, the similarity of message in both poems is evident. The poems are similar in that the narrator’s lives are empty and contain no passion for pursuing anything. The ideas reflected in these poems are seen even today, in such things as listless living and job-related apathy. Both poems suggest that a life where dreams of meaningless things are pursued will end without purpose or significance.
There are few ways in which the two versions are alike. The most obvious is that they tell the same story, albeit with a slight variation at some points, but in essence, the story told is the same. They are both about a knight who committed a crime against a woman and was sent on a quest by the queen to learn “what women most desire.” Throughout his journey, the knight asked many women what they most desired and received varied answers. Dejected, the knight travels back to the kingdom to receive his punishment, but he comes across an old woman. She tells him what women most desire, the knight is acquitted, and he is forced to marry the old woman. In the end, the knight allows the old woman to choose whether she would like to be beautiful or faithful, so she becomes a beautiful and faithful young woman because the knight learned his lesson about women. Moreover, by glancing at the two poems, it is obvious that the length is similar.
Both poems where written in the Anglo-Saxton era in Old English and later translated into English. As well as both poems being written in the same time period, they are both elegiac poems, meaning they are poignant and mournful.
When considering the structure of the poems, they are similar in that they are both written loosely in iambic pentameter. Also, they both have a notable structured rhyme scheme.
Cheever, John. "The Swimmer." The Northon Anthology American Literature. 8th ed. Vol. E. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012. Print.
The Swimmer by John Cheever begins at Helen and Donald Westerhazy’s pool when Neddy Merrill makes the decision to journey eight miles home by swimming through a series of pools, he calls the “Lucinda River” (297) and walking when unable to swim. While he making his way back home, he stops at fourteen old friends’ houses and drinks before continuing on if possible. By the end of Neddy’s journey, he is exhausted and comes to the realization that he has lost not only his house but also his wife and daughters, and also his so-called friends and even a mistress. Cheever suggests that alcoholism is a destruction of life through the use of symbolism, imagery, and characterization.
...the two paintings come from different historic art periods. Another difference is the absence of the nude in Claude Monet’s painting. The three paintings represent my theme: woman and nature very well. The combination of the woman figure in the outdoor world for me symbolizes the connection that women have with nature. They all reflect calmness, mystery and elegance.
In conclusion, there is definitely a comparison of all three poems with the theme of loss. One that I noticed in all three poems was the loss of hope. Hope because there is an optimistic view on life such as, what are we supposed to do after the ones we love are gone? Also, how do I move past the love I once felt for the person now buried. Or how can I look to the future since the past wasn’t the best. The basis of the poems written by the two different authors has some type of loss to write about.