The great amount of respect and strong feeling of pleasure and wonder a child has for their mother's courage is very obvious throughout Edna St. Vincent Millay's, "The Courage That My Mother Had." (at the same time), the poem brings across feelings of betrayal. Millay's poem, through strong associations with (state where all things are equal) as strong words, such as "rock" and "(very hard rock)," guesses (based on what's known) the general theme of the poem and the amount of (title-related) courage the poem's mother possessed. The (person telling the story) uses (more than two, but not a lot of) different types of figurative language to create thoughts and feelings of love, hate, fear, etc. for the reader. Millay's use of (physical things …show more content…
that refer to ideas or emotions) and clever word associations in her poem show/tell to the reader the detailed emotional attachments of the child to her mother and the manner in which the child valued her mother. Towards the beginning of the beautiful poem, the speaker uses a plain statement to introduce the subject of the poem-her mother's courage, which has followed with the mother. The first two lines of the first group of lines in a poem begin, "The courage that my mother had/Went with her, and is with her still" (Millay, lns 1-2). These two lines establish the poem's mother, brave qualities and her passing; but, also for the courage she took with her when she died. The poem's child feels forgotten and cheated since she was not given the courage by (something valuable you get when older relatives die). In the same group of lines in a poem, lines 3-4, Millay includes a rock being compared to her mother, "Rock from New England dug;/Now (very hard rock) in a (very hard rock) hill" (Millay, lns 3-4). When rock is used for marketing purposes, it must be cut out from a larger piece. In the third line of the group of lines in a poem, the rock represents the mother, who was born and raised in New England developed from other (in almost the same way) strong willed and brave people. Here, the speaker uses a (physical thing that refers to an idea or emotion) to describe her mother's bravery. By comparing her mother's courage to a rock in line 3, the (person telling the story) shows/tells about how strong, enduring, and (impossible to discourage or stop) that courage was. The tone is one of strong feeling of pleasure and wonder, respect, and pride. The reference to New England hints that her mother was from this area; her personality was chiseled from her (surrounding conditions), like (very hard rock) from a quarry. In the fourth line of this group of lines in a poem, the speaker uses (very hard rock) as a (physical thing that refers to an idea or emotion) to bring attention to her mother's strength as well as to hint at her mother's death. (very hard rock) sometimes hints "(ability to last through/tolerate bad times)" or "unstoppable nature," and it also refers to the rock commonly used to build monuments and headstones. In line 4, the (person telling the story) is talking about/saying that her mother has died, and she has taken her stubbornness with her to the grave. The repetition in line 4 is meant to remind the reader of the phrase "ashes to ashes, dust to dust." Figuratively, her mother's courage has returned to the place from which it started. The reader can assume that, really, the mother now rests in a New England hillside cemetery. The (very hard rock) hill in line 4 of the first group of lines in a poem, could be guessed (based on what was known) as being the lack of (getting or giving power) in women at the time- dead, and unmoving (in a bad way). The new (very hard rock) is soaking (in) this generation with life and (getting or giving power). The second group of lines in a poem of the poem focuses on a different aspect of the mother's personality.
Although the speaker is dealing with an emotional subject-her mother's death-the tone is not emotional. Rather, the speaking style remains simple and plain/honest/easy. In lines 5-6, the speaker uses the small detail of the mother's piece of jewelry to illustrate another part/face of her mother's personality. In some regard, it might even be said that the piece of jewelry is symbolic of some of her mother's (features/ qualities/ traits), "The golden piece of jewelry my mother wore/She left behind for me to wear" (Millay, lns 5-6). In fact, the speaker's mother may have been brave, but the fact that she wore a golden piece of jewelry displays that she admitted/recognized/responded to finery, too. The piece of jewelry might suggest the fact that the (person telling the story)'s mother had a good sense of style, or that she was, like the piece of jewelry, feminine and beautiful, in addition to being unstoppable and brave. The image of the golden piece of jewelry serves as a contrast to the image of rock, of (very hard rock). In the same group of lines in a poem, lines 7-8, Millay uses a (two separate things are both true, but this seems impossible), "I have no thing I treasure more:/Yet, it is something I could spare" (Millay, lns 7-8). Although the piece of jewelry is the speaker's most valued possession, she points to/shows that she could part with it if she had to. The …show more content…
words "no thing" draw attention to the fact the speaker is aware the piece of jewelry is still just an object, a thing. She treasures it for what it is: an object that reflects her mother's personality. She loves it since it is a connection to and an able to be touched/real reminder of her mother. At the same time, the speaker could part with the piece of jewelry for the reasons that it is only a possession, however symbolic. It is not something from which she can truly take (nice thing to have) or which can make her a stronger person. Instead of being useful, the piece of jewelry is only beautiful. Millay could be suggesting that one's internal attributes are more valuable than one's pretty (things people own). In the final group of lines in a poem, the speaker's tone changes to thoughtful. She is not angry (because of mistreatment), but she wishes for her mother's courage. The speaker seems to recognize that while one may like and respect the good qualities/the advantages in others, one cannot necessarily adopt those good qualities/advantages for him or herself. She deeply suffers in sadness (because of loss or death) the loss of that feature which she so likes and respects. Not only does she like and respect her mother's strength, but she also needs that strength now more than ever. Her mother is buried and appears to be at rest, however, the speaker is still living, and without a guiding tool to help her through her loss. The speaker hints, it is unfair that her mother took that stubbornness with her to the (place where a body is buried), since she no longer needs it, while the daughter needs it more than ever. In badly wanting her mother's courage, the speaker may, on some level, be wishing for her mother's presence to help her through her sadness (about death), although, (in an unexpected yet interesting way (where something happened that's the opposite of what is expected)), her mother is the source of that sadness (about death). In the final group of lines in a poem, line 11 repeats the simile which compares the mother's courage to a rock, "That courage like a rock. . ." (Millay, line 11). This repetition serves to bring attention to a final time the mother's bravery in comparison with her daughter's lack of bravery. The speaker ends the poem with a quiet statement, one which admits/recognizes/responds to how very hard it is to face her mother's death. The (person telling the story) longs not only for the mother, but for her own self worth and existence.
What at first begins as a sort of message of thanks to the child's mother and her brave qualities, soon gets into a sad and self-centered drone of anger and anger (over being mistreated). The mood and tone of the poem sound (sad/terrible/serious), as if the author is facing trouble, which may be why she needs her mother's courage. When the poet speaks of her mother, she completely/in a hinting way does so as her mother's child. Speaking from the point of view of a child, the poet sees her mother as the (giving a non-living thing qualities of a living thing/existence of a perfect living representation of something) of strength, even unlimited strength, "The courage that my mother had/Went with her and is with her still" (Millay, lns 1-2). Even in death, she has not forgotten her stubbornness. As children often do, the poet feels weak, helpless, and afraid, and she admits her fear. She involves her mother's courage. But, instead, her mother left her only the golden piece of jewelry, something pretty, delicate, maybe a little old-fashioned. The piece of jewelry produces (with magic) all those qualities that are not strong. (opposite from what's expected), they are qualities old and boring with (the qualities that make a woman) and helplessness-the qualities that will not help the poet in her present state. The poet distinguishes herself as weak: she is a child who needs
protection, and at the same time she is a woman who fears she has received from her brave mother only those (features/ qualities/ traits) connected with weakness. (anyway/in any event), Millay uses many types of elements to add the strength, depth, and quality of figurative language through her book-related/writing-related work. She uses the rhyme big plan/layout/dishonest plan, ABCB DEDE FGFG throughout her poem to subconsciously affect the way the reader sees the writing. In this beautiful poem, their consists of three four-line poems, or four-line groups of lines in a poem. Within each four-line poem, the (happening sometime in the future) words of the first and third lines rhyme, almost the same as the final words of the second and fourth lines. Although the meter of the poem differs/changes in places, each line tends to be arranged in iambic tetrameter. The poem's rhythm lends The Courage That My Mother Had, a song-like quality when it is read out loud. When reading the poem, the reader also (sees/hears/becomes aware of) that each group of lines in a poem contains a whole thought. The groups of lines in a poem are linked together (related to the underlying messages or morals of a story), but each addresses an (a) little different feeling of love, hate, guilt, etc. The theme of this poem is most likely people will always remember famous and important family members in their lives. The reason being is Edna deeply deeply loved her mother, and she will never forget the endless courage that was inside of her. (probably), she was her role model of courage. Edna had a desire to have her mother's strength since she was going through a difficult stage in her life and she wanted to know how to buy/own/receive that courage "like a rock." I can honestly say that this poem can apply to many situations. For example, if someone has lost a family member that they have been liking and respecting for a long time, this poem applies to them. The daughter is just like everyday human beings, (thinking about/when one thinks about) there is an important value of (how humans are): we all want something, but we can't have everything we desire. I believe Edna and I are very almost the same, being I deeply like and respect my family, but my mother is the most brave person I have ever known. Courage can have huge/extreme value to an individual: we must have the courage to bet on our ideas, to take the calculated risk, and to act. Everyday life needs/demands stubbornness, if life is to be effective and bring happiness. Sometimes, even to live is an act of courage, and I'm thankful that my mom deeply set within/surrounded by and part of me that courage. Therefore, Edna and I are strong women raised by the (hard and rough/not caring about other people) yet tender hands of the strong women before us.
This was from the mind of young Grealy, the girl who had a depressed and angry mother, the mother that taught her that it was never okay to show weakness or cry (Grealy 30). Young Grealy believed that the way she earned acceptance during her first visit to the ER could carry over into her home life. I think that this moment encompassed all that Grealy was feeling at this time. The feeling that she was responsible for her mother’s unhappiness and depression, the feeling that if she showed she was not afraid, no one else in her family would be either, and the feeling that if she was not brave, her family would be unhappy forever. This was important because she felt that she had discovered a way to make her family whole again.
The poem explains her hardships. Reading poetry is different from reading prose because you really have to dig deeper and study harder. A poem is not always straight forward like many other writings. You have to use context clues and understand imagery, tone, and sense. Summarizing a poem becomes difficult if you do not re-read several times. I learned that figurative language and lifestyle really tells a great story. Language especially helps you understand what is going on between the lines. Overall, family is always there at the end of the day. Sometimes situations get tough, but there is always a light at the end of the
In this poem, there is a young woman and her loving mother discussing their heritage through their matrilineal side. The poem itself begins with what she will inherit from each family member starting with her mother. After discussing what she will inherit from each of her family members, the final lines of the poem reflect back to her mother in which she gave her advice on constantly moving and never having a home to call hers. For example, the woman describes how her father will give her “his brown eyes” (Line 7) and how her mother advised her to eat raw deer (Line 40). Perhaps the reader is suggesting that she is the only survivor of a tragedy and it is her heritage that keeps her going to keep safe. In the first two lines of the poem, she explains how the young woman will be taking the lines of her mother’s (Lines 1-2). This demonstrates further that she is physically worried about her features and emotionally worried about taking on the lineage of her heritage. Later, she remembered the years of when her mother baked the most wonderful food and did not want to forget the “smell of baking bread [that warmed] fined hairs in my nostrils” (Lines 3-4). Perhaps the young woman implies that she is restrained through her heritage to effectively move forward and become who she would like to be. When reading this poem, Native American heritage is an apparent theme through the lifestyle examples, the fact lineage is passed through woman, and problems Native Americans had faced while trying to be conquested by Americans. Overall, this poem portrays a confined, young woman trying to overcome her current obstacles in life by accepting her heritage and pursuing through her
Stanza three again shows doubtfulness about the mother’s love. We see how the mother locks her child in because she fears the modern world. She sees the world as dangers and especially fears men. Her fear of men is emphasized by the italics used. In the final line of the stanza, the mother puts her son on a plastic pot. This is somewhat symbolic of the consumeristic society i.e. manufactured and cheap.
...he shows us her character, not by how she gives herself respect, but by the continued respect that she gives to others: even her tormenters. Her secret shame was kept inside, and it was an impossible burden to bear. She was brave.
When writing poetry, there are many descriptive methods an author may employ to communicate an idea or concept to their audience. One of the more effective methods that authors often use is linking devices, such as metaphors and similes. Throughout “The Elder Sister,” Olds uses linking devices effectively in many ways. An effective image Olds uses is that of “the pressure of Mother’s muscles on her brain,” (5) providing a link to the mother’s expectations for her children. She also uses images of water and fluidity to demonstrate the natural progression of a child into womanhood. Another image is that of the speaker’s elder sister as a metaphorical shield, the one who protected her from the mental strain inflicted by their mother.
and make fun of black elders. And would talk to them any kind of way.
In the short story “A Kind of Courage” by Ruth Sterling, the protagonist, Davy, is trying to win Ginny’s heart.
When the poem is read aloud, the explicit rhyme and rhythm of the lines becomes extremely obvious. In fact, the bouncy rhythm is so uplifting, it occasionally makes the audiences feel like it is too predictable and straight-forward. An example would be “bright with chrysolite”, the word “chrysolite” feels like it is forcefully implemented for the sake of the rhyme. This is somewhat similar to a children’s tale. Most children’s tale as we know it, conveys messages straightforwardly and are easily understood by children, it also has an amiable tone and a merry mood that engages the children 's attention. Similarly, the rhyme and rhythm of this poem is very obvious and explicit, creating a delightful, casual mood that appeals to a young audience. Even though the legend dealt with deep insights about parenting that are intricate and puzzling, the father delivered it in such a gratifying, simple manner that made even the most dark and dreadful matters: like the description of precarious beasts and vicious monsters to sound like a blissful adventure of friendly animals. The sole purpose of this contradiction between the tone and message is to make this seemingly strong and serious topic more tolerable and captivating to the son of the father. Unsensible, impulsive youth is very similar to restless children, a long insipid lecture about deep insights is very difficult for them to buy into. In the same time, a harsh, threatening warning will only make them obey unwillingly, and creating a doubtful relationship will make them uncomfortable to communicate or appeal to their parents. Clearly, the percipient father recognized the ineffectiveness of these unsuitable parenting methods. Instead, he conveyed the message in a uncomplicated, friendly way that made his son to accept his teachings more comfortably. A
While reading the poem the reader can imply that the father provides for his wife and son, but deals with the stress of having to work hard in a bad way. He may do what it takes to make sure his family is stable, but while doing so he is getting drunk and beating his son. For example, in lines 1 and 2, “The whisky on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy” symbolizes how much the father was drinking. He was drinking so much, the scent was too much to take. Lines 7 and 8, “My mother’s countenance, Could not unfrown itself.” This helps the reader understand the mother’s perspective on things. She is unhappy seeing what is going on which is why she is frowning. Although she never says anything it can be implied that because of the fact that the mother never speaks up just shows how scared she could be of her drunk husband. Lines 9 and 10, “The hand that held my wrist Was battered on one knuckle”, with this line the reader is able to see using imagery that the father is a hard worker because as said above his knuckle was battered. The reader can also take this in a different direction by saying that his hand was battered from beating his child as well. Lastly, lines 13 and 14, “You beat time on my head With a palm caked hard by dirt” As well as the quote above this quote shows that the father was beating his child with his dirty hand from all the work the father has
The metaphor of “the silver answer rang” coupled with the juxtaposition of “Not Death but love” express that she believes at this old age she has found love for the first time, the use of juxtaposition emphasises the unexpected nature of the love. The love that she finds is shown to be a love that isn’t based on lust or social conventions, but instead based on love that is constant and timeless. Even though the conventions of society were against her, she was able to fight conventions and wait till her true love was discovered
It is said that “everything that shines isn't gold.” A difficult situation can result a vast illusion that is not what one thought it would be, which leads to disappointment and despair. Just like Guy De Maupassant stories, “The Necklace” and “The Jewel.” In the first story, the protagonist, Mathilde Loisel’s need for materialistic fulfillment causes her hard labor which ends her natural beauty. In the second story, the husband Monsieur Latin ends up living a dreadful life due to the passing of his wife and her admiration for jewels. “The Necklace” and “The Jewel” both share many similarities such as the unconditional love each husband haves toward their wife, the necessity each wife haves towards materialistic greed, the beautiful allurement
The choice of words of the author also contributes to the development of the theme. For example, the use of words like "drafty," "half-heartedly," and "half-imagined" give the reader the idea of how faintly the dilemma was perceived and understood by the children, thus adding to the idea that the children cannot understand the burden the speaker has upon herself. In addition, referring to a Rembrandt as just a "picture" and to the woman as "old age," we can see that these two symbols, which are very important to the speaker and to the poem, are considered trivial by the children, thus contributing to the concept that the children cannot feel what the speaker is feeling.
The Necklace also displays distinctive realism in the use of socioeconomic influences which are essential to the plot. The major conflict in the story would be absent and the theme would not be obtainable without Mathilde Loisel’s insecurity about her own socioeconomic reputation. An example of Loisel’s self-deprivation nature is presented when she realizes she does not have a necklace, she says “I shall look absolutely no one. I would almost rather not go to the party” (Maupassant, sec. 3). Another example of the self-conflict caused by social pressure is Loisel’s immediate attempt to replace the necklace and her reluctance to speak to her friend Madame Forestier about the necklace for ten whole years. If she were not conflicted by societal pressures she might have avoided the whole situation altogether. The Necklace establishes a realistic difference in value between the necklaces and proposed clothing. Her husband proposes flowers which were valued 10 franks so in any case if she had chosen the flowers there would have been an insignificant economic loss. Her decision not to tell her friend about the necklace ends up costing her seven times the worth of the original. The roses symbolize the simpler things in life to the theme of the story. Mathilde Loisel’s withered appearance at the end
In the short story “The Necklace”, the main character, Loisel, is a woman who dreams of greater things in her life. She is married to a poor clerk who tries his best to make her happy no matter what. In an attempt to try to bring happiness to his wife, he manages to get two invitations to a very classy ball, but even in light of this Loisel is still unhappy. Even when she gets a new dress she is still unhappy. This lasts until her husband suggests she borrows some jewelry from a friend, and upon doing so she is finally happy. Once the ball is over, and they reach home, Loisel has the horrible realization that she has lost the necklace, and after ten years of hard labor and suffering, they pay off debts incurred to get a replacement. The central idea of this story is how something small can have a life changing effect on our and others life’s. This idea is presented through internal and external conflicts, third person omniscient point of view, and the round-dynamic character of Loisel. The third person limited omniscient point-of-view is prevalent throughout this short story in the way that the author lets the reader only see into the main character’s thoughts. Loisel is revealed to the reader as being unhappy with her life and wishing for fancier things. “She suffered ceaselessly, feeling herself born for all the delicacies and all the luxuries.” (de Maupassant 887) When her husband tries to fancy things up, “she thought of dainty dinners, of shining silverware, of tapestry which peopled the walls…” (de Maupassant 887) As the story goes on her point of view changes, as she “now knew the horrible existence of the needy. She took her part, moreover all of a sudden, with heroism.” (de Maupassant 891) Having the accountability to know that the “dreadful debt must be paid.” (de Maupassant 891 ) This point-of-view is used to help the reader gain more insight to how Loisel’s whole mindset is changed throughout her struggle to pay off their debts. Maupassant only reveals the thoughts and feelings of these this main character leaving all the others as flat characters. Loisel is a round-dynamic character in that Maupassant shows how she thought she was born in the wrong “station”. “She dressed plainly because she could not dress well, but she was as unhappy as though she had really fallen from her proper station.