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Nothing gold can stay analysis essay
Nothing gold can stay analysis essay
Nothing gold can stay analysis essay
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In the poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay," written by Robert Frost, metaphors for endings and beginnings, subtle religious hints at the felix cupla, and Christian symbolism form a cohesive theme that illustrates how the end of something leads to a hopeful beginning for something else. Alternate interpretations exist such as Bernetta Quinn's article, "Symbolic Landscape in Frost's "Nothing Gold Can Stay"," published in the English Journal in 1966. Quinn concedes that the religious theme is the most accepted interpretation but encourages discussion of other elements. (Quinn 1966) Judaeo Christian and nature symbolism paint a picture of transitions that are cyclic. The result of this interpretation is that fortunate beginnings replace concepts of loss and give the passage a hopeful tone. …show more content…
Examples of figurative language in the poem are, "Natures first green is gold," "So Eden sank to grief," and "So dawn goes to day".
In the first line "Natures first green is gold," the imagery is conveying the beauty of life, and that nature's first green is the Spring Season. Eden transitioning to grief and dawn transitioning to day are metaphors that relate to endings and beginnings. Eden was a beginning in religion and its fall to grief was an ending. In an article in the English Journal published in 1966, Bernetta Quinn stated the line was "another way of stating the felix culpa," a dismissive stance on the religious interpretation, although she followed, "…but, on the other hand, Frost has never been unmindful of the value of suffering and has often involved allusions to the Fall of Man in his poetry." (Quinn 1966) Dawn transitioning to day is a description of the same event in a manner that suggests that this ending was not unfortunate but that beginnings and endings can be fortunate. Quinn seems to suggest that the superficial view of the poem suggests it "appears to be merely another poem about transience" (Quinn
1966) Eden and dawn are symbolic of beginnings and of each other. Grief and day represent endings. Life culminates in grief and dawn always ends with a transition to day. These two concepts are symbolic of the relationship between endings and beginnings and how one perpetuates the other. The second and third lines of the poem enforce the idea that a beginning is simply something that leads somewhere. The fourth and last lines of the poem hint that beginnings and endings are temporary. Eden is a religious Judaeo Christian symbol for the beginning of life. Eden's fall to grief was caused by the taking of the apple from the tree of knowledge. This was the end of Eden and simultaneously represented an ending and beginning. The final line of the poem concludes the overall idea of the poem, that an ending is not unfortunate because it leads to a beginning. The death of Eden led to the atonement of man and redemption. Quinn wrote that this interpretation was the most accepted of Frost's poem. In contrast, she suggested that the themes of decline and loss are more central to the poem and worth discussion as well. (Quinn 1966) Quinn provides an alternate interpretation she felt warrants discussion because of student's tendency to only view the poem from its religious interpretations but even she concedes this is the most accepted meaning. Nature and religious symbolism paint a cyclic picture of hope from new beginnings. From this, the reader can enjoy a more hopeful interpretation of the poem in contrast to the theme of loss explored by Quinn. "Nothing Gold Can Stay," written by Robert Frost, with subtle influences from the felix cupla, Christian symbolism, and metaphors for endings and beginnings illustrates the idea that endings can be hopeful beginnings.
These two passages “There’s Still Gold in These Hills” and “Letter From a Gold Miner” help the reader understand the history and process of gold mining in the US. Both passages give detailed information, specific instructions, and an interesting background about gold mining. These passages use different strategies to help the reader perceive the history and process. These strategies may include using specific dates of when the gold rush took place, information to help the reader picture the setting of where to find gold, and also teaches the process step by step.
Adding on to the previous paragraph, Frost in the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” Frost uses an allusion in “So Eden sank to grief So dawn goes down to day Nothing gold can stay”(lines 6-8). This is an allusion because it refers to the story of Adam and Eve in which both are in paradise but are soon thrown out after giving in to temptation. This helps to convey the
Gold is the hero. Gold is the representation of an Anglo-Saxon hero, as portrayed by Beowulf. Within the epic poem, gold, along with other treasures represents the idealized values of generosity, the pursuit of glory, and the strong desire to leave a legacy.
The poem ‘Gold’ by Pat Mora shows us that anyplace that may seem creepy or not satisfactory can be beautiful in it’s own way. This poem contains a couple of examples of figurative language. First, when they say the sun is painting the desert, or the wind is running, those are both examples of personification in ‘Gold’. Second, when the poem said, “arms as wide as the sky”, and, “like a hawk extends her wings”, those are examples of similes because it says like or as. When I read the poem it reminded my of the novel we read last year, Star Girl, this is because of the Arizona type climate Pat Mora was explaining, is just like the setting of Star Girl. I could really sense the freedom in the setting. The readers can feel his message of beauty
Life and death are leaves us with an known and unknown that are unavoidable. In the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost symbolism, rhyme, and allusion are used to describe not only nature’s life cycle but the human life cycle as well. The allegory “Used to Live Here Once” by Jean Rhys uses symbolism and motif to deliver a story of a woman who has died but is unaware that she has actually passed away. Even though both of these pieces of literature utilize similar elements that symbolize the human life cycle in their writings they are very different in nature, and the poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” leaves you with an actual reality of all beings lifecycles and the allegory leaves you with imagination only.
In his poem, “Nothing Gold Can Stay”, poet Robert Frost communicates the idea that everything created in the cosmos which is pure and possesses the beauty of gold can’t be put at a halt. It will lose its glow or purity at one time or the other. He reveals this idea through the use of a metaphor. Through lines one and five of his poem, he compares the nature’s leaves to a golden and beautiful sighted moment that doesn’t last long enough so that we can enjoy its bright view every day, and ultimately it all withers away through its color and appearance. “Nature’s first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold.” In these lines, Robert Frost explains the meaning that the glistening green color of the nature when all its leaves bloom is a flourishing sight, but it’s a radiant color that is hard to be hold. In line six, he uses an allusion to Adam and Eve’s story. “So Eden sank to grief.” This line expands on the idea that purity is another thing that can’t remain forever. When Eve ate from the tree of knowledge, Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden and that created consequences...
The Tragic Impermanence of Youth in Robert Frost's Nothing Gold Can Stay In his poem "Nothing Gold can Stay", Robert Frost names youth and its attributes as invaluable. Using nature as an example, Frost relates the earliest green of a newborn plant to gold; its first leaves are equated with flowers. However, to hold something as fleeting as youth in the highest of esteems is to set one's self up for tragedy. The laws of the Universe cast the glories of youth into an unquestionable state of impermanence.
The poem "Nothing Gold can Stay" deals with a real world problem that can't be solved. Things that are good and make people happy, don't always last very long. Of course everyone can remember when times were good, but change is a natural part of life. Some changes can be nice, but some can also lead to disappointment. It's all normal and happens no matter what. For example, The Outsiders and The Teacher Who Changed my Life both have proof of this occurrence. On one case, Ponyboy didn't have a perfect life to begin with, but things just go worse. For Nicholas Gage, he lived in a harsh environment, and when his wonderful mother tried to make it better, things fell. It always happens.
Johnny, the meekest member of the Greasers, is slightly built, with big-black eyes in a dark tanned face and long, jet-black hair heavily greased and combed to the side. He has the appearance of "a little dark puppy that has been kicked too many times and is lost in a crowd of strangers." He always seems to be cringing and uncertain of himself, largely because he is a battered child. His father frequently beats him, and his mother ignores him except to scream at him about something. As a result, the Greasers are always trying to protect Johnny. Dally, in particular, watches out for him, and Johnny, in return, idolizes him; therefore, it is very surprising when Johnny tells Dally not to bother Cherry Valence. Obviously, Johnny has the moral
The poem states that everything eventually comes to an end and that not even gold can remain unchanged. The poem explains this theme with many metaphors about everything that’s coming to an end. Freeman explains that “Even the poem's rhymes contribute to this sense of inevitability: Nature's gold we (or She) cannot hold; the flower lasts only an hour; the post flower leaf is like Eden's grief; the coming of day means that dawn's gold cannot stay”(2). The poem explains that everything has a natural cycle and that nothing lasts forever. When the poem states “nothing can stay gold”, Frost looks back at the flower and the time of day and implies that it all comes to an end.
Frost, Robert. "Nothing Gold Can Stay." Literature: an Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. New York: Longman, 2010. 619. Print.
Section #1 - The Designer and Technician If I were the designer and the director of Hole, I would bring to the stage a realistic scenery of a coal mine in West Virginia. I think the narrative takes place probably a few decades from today, because of the evidence of Murphy, an old man, singing an Appalachian Love Ballad, a genre of music that is popular in the from 1900 through 1930 (“A Short History of Appalachian Traditional Music” by Debby McClatchy). As a scenic designer, I would base my designs on the box set format.
Frost uses nature as a reflection of human experiences; just like humanity it can have seasons and life cycles. He uses different scenes to depict a certain mood for readers to step into the psychological happening of a man. The idea of how seasons change, Frost compares it through the life cycles that humans encounter. Contrary to popular opinion, I believe that nature is not Frost’s central theme in his poetry; it is about the relationship that man has with nature in which can be seen from “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, “The Road Not Taken”, and “An Old Man’s Winter Night.”
Adam Smith wrote in his masterpiece, the wealth of nations, “It is the necessary, though very slow and gradual consequence of a certain propensity in human nature which has in view no such extensive utility; the propensity to truck, barter, and exchange one thing for another” (Smith, 2005). This propensity in human nature led to the development of currency – a medium of exchange accepted by a community of people. For centuries, gold and silver were used around the world as currency; in 1834 the United States, formerly on a bimetallic standard, converted to a gold de facto standard. This policy made it so the dollar was backed by gold at a ratio of $20.67 per ounce. The Gold standard was used until August 15, 1971 when President Richard Nixon
Frost relays the message of life choices through direct symbolism, great use of imagery, and an influential paradox. The symbolism portrayed in Frost’s poem emphasizes the importance of life choices and decision making. With every decision in life, there is always