In Men in the Off Hours, Anne Carson’s Essay On What I Think About Most offers a perspective on error that is contrary to popular belief concerning failure. To begin the poem, Carson utilizes a piece by Aristotle and the concept of a metaphor to prove that mistakenness is valuable. Specifically, Carson shows how a metaphor enables the mind to experience itself making a mistake, allowing the mind to learn and grow from its own errors. During the rest of the poem, Carson analyzes an ancient Greek poem that contains both computational and grammatical errors. Carson goes on to claim that poetry is the creation of errors that are beneficial to readers, and that imperfection is human nature.
In addition to the content, mistakes and errors within the poem itself are used throughout the piece as a way to convey the message of the poem. For example,
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to begin the poem, sentences that are grammatically incorrect are used: “Error.
And its emotions.” (Anne Carson, Men in the Off Hours, 30). Not only are readers immediately engaged by the dramatic and blunt opening of the poem, but they also experience the grammatical errors of the sentences themselves. A similar tactic is used later in the poem, when the ancient Greek passage is being analyzed. Carson states that “there are three things [she] like[s] about Alkman’s poem” and then goes on to list those things (33). However, Carson subtly lists four things that she likes about the ancient Greek poem, once again utilizing error itself to convey her message.
Agreeing with Aristotle, Carson claims that mistakes in the form of metaphors enable people to learn because they cause the mind to “experience itself in the act of making a mistake” (30). This experience enables the mind to learn from contradictions and juxtapositions, demonstrating that metaphors and mistakes in general are beneficial for the human mind. To further prove this claim, Carson walks the reader through a
similar process in the poem’s first stanza: “On the brink of error is a condition of fear. In the midst of error is a state of folly and defeat. Realizing you’ve made an error brings shame and remorse. Or does it?” (30). After being reminded of the powerful emotions associated with error, Carson masterfully makes the reader experience itself in the act of a mistake by questioning the validity of the process that she outlines. Because Carson states the natural progression of emotions when making a mistake with such confidence and clarity, the reader immediately agrees with Carson’s statements and even identifies with her claim. This causes the reader to remember previous experiences when he or she felt emotions similar to the ones that Carson offers when making an error, which could even result in the reader having a small subconscious emotional response while reading these lines. However, by asking “Or does it?” in the next line, Carson causes the reader to question him or herself and all of the experiences he or she just remembered and re-experienced (30). Carson purposely attempts to set up the reader for failure, enabling the reader to witness his or herself making a mistake and ultimately learning from that error, not unlike learning from a metaphor. In order to further demonstrate her claim that mistakenness is valuable because it enables people to learn and grow, Carson makes the reader experience errors and mistakes throughout the reading of the poem, further proving her claim to the reader.
A writer’s choice of nouns and verbs alters the feel and meaning of a poem. A prime expel of this fact is in the Crowder Collage literature book, on page even hundred seventy-three, more topics for writing, number two. I chose the poem “When the Time’s Toxins,” by Christian Wiman, for the exercise.
In the poem the teacher points out mistakes such as the student’s thinking, his style of writing the paper and his grammar errors. The teacher said, “there are spots/where your thinking becomes, for me, / alarmingly opaque, and you syntax/seems to jump backwards through unnecessary hoops,” (6-9). This instance shows the error the teacher found in the paper about how the student’s thinking was not straight and would jump backwards and forward throughout the poem. Another error that the teacher finds is when the teacher tells the student that he should have wrote the paper differently or said something else. The teacher said, “I’d have said it differently, / or rather, said something else” (17-18). This instance shows that the teacher is not happy about the way the student has written he paper and tells him that he should have wrote it differently. Another instance where the teacher finds mistake in the paper is when the teacher fixes the students semicolons mistake in the paper. The teacher says, “Please notice how I’ve repaired your/ use of semicolons.”(28).This instance shows that the teacher found a mistake of semicolons, which the student did not use correctly in the paper. However, even after finding all these mistakes the teacher gives A- as an overall grade to the student. This is an example of an irony that shows that the teacher not only gave negative comments to the student, but after giving negative comments
In the poem pride, Dahlia Ravikovitch uses many poetic devices. She uses an analogy for the poem as a whole, and a few metaphors inside it, such as, “the rock has an open wound.” Ravikovitch also uses personification multiple times, for example: “Years pass over them as they wait.” and, “the seaweed whips around, the sea bursts forth and rolls back--” Ravikovitch also uses inclusive language such as when she says: “I’m telling you,” and “I told you.” She uses these phrases to make the reader feel apart of the poem, and to draw the reader in. She also uses repetition, for example, repetition of the word years.
Figurative Language in used throughout poems so the reader can develop a further understanding of the text. In “The Journey” the author uses rhythm and metaphors throughout the poem. “...as you left their voices behind, the stars began to burn through the sheets of the clouds..”(25-27). The author compares the star burning to finding your voice. Rhythm also develops the theme of the poem because throughout the story rhythm is presented as happy showing growing up and changing for the better is necessary and cheerful. In “The Laughing Heart” the author uses imagery and metaphors to develop the theme throughout the book. “There is a light somewhere. It may not be much light but it beats the darkness”(5-7). Always find the good out of everything, even it
Since the character is illiterate, he has no ability to determine his true feelings for the loved one. Additionally, this use of repetitive words in the poem also shows the lack of diction by the character. When words are repeated, it typically tells someone that they are either confused or have a weak vocabulary. Since it is implied that the man had a small lexicon because of his illiteracy, the poem reveals his ideas in a simplistic and repetitive wording
Control, Empowerment, and the Fake World: Converging Metaphors. "Metaphors not only structure the way we think about school, they also help create the world of the school" (Cunningham, "Metaphors of Mind" handout). This quote speaks the truth! Metaphors are the tools we use to structure thinking about our culture and to create culture at the same time. An excellent example of this dual and interconnected role of metaphor is Marshall's belief that "the dominant metaphor in many schools is SCHOOL IS WORK" (Cunningham, "MOM" handout).
... is shown moreover through these pauses. We also see that he places question marks at the end of sentences, which is another way he is showing us the uncertainty in the voice of society. Through his punctuation and word placement, we clearly see the voice of society in his poem, but in a way that tells us not to conform to it.
... A metaphor, used as a communication skill, is best described in a political way. Think of Reagan’s Voodoo economics, or Bill Clinton building a bridge to the 21st century. Politicians can easily scam an ignorant voter, should one not understand a metaphor. For example: Clinton refers to building a bridge, but does not tell us with which tools he intends to build it with. This particular concept is valid alone for the above reason. Whether you are talking to a teacher or watching television, metaphors need to understand.
What is unusual about Pastan?s poem is the way she effectively conveys these sentiments by the
H.R. Swardson, “The Use of the Word Mistaken in the Teaching of Poetry.” ADE Bulletin 91 (Winter 1988): 4-5
Ferguson, Margaret W., Salter, Mary J., and Stallworthy, Jon. The Norton Anthology of Poetry. fifth ed. N.p.: W.W. Norton, 2005. 2120-2121. 2 Print.
Metaphors, according to Professor George Lakoff, are a way to think and reason about life. They are not a unique way to speak about it, but a common way to talk about life experiences since they are a reflection of our thought processes (1986). This became immediately apparent to me when I began looking for metaphors commonly used. It took some time to find any because they were pervasive of my thought system that I did not even notice many phrases around me were metaphors. Those phrases were not “poetic or rhetorical” way of talking, but a normal usage for those around me to express their thoughts (Lakeoff, 1986, p.216). The metaphor that came up several times on my search was history as roots. This metaphor allows us to think about life in a certain way and it holds particular implications for our interpersonal communication.
Lakoff & Johnson (1980) stated that our ordinary conceptual system, in terms of which we both think and act, is fundamentally metaphorical in nature. That is to say, metaphor is pervasive in everyday life, not just in language but in thought and action. Metaphor plays an enormous role in shaping one’s everyday understanding of everyday event. To study metaphor is to be confronted with hidden aspects of one’s mind and one’s culture.
The use of repetition within the poem draws attention to important themes associated with overcoming negative pressure. The repetition of the word “it” reduces the specificity of the poem, making it simply about a general battle with mental strength. This effective decision allows anyone to connect with the poem by inserting their unique personal struggles. To emphasize the amount of negativity that is present in the world, Guest repeats the phrase “there are thousands”. This type of repetition reinforces
For example, scholarly articles by authors Lakoff and Turner, describe metaphors as ‘poetic mechanisms found in different cultural contexts’ that expand our everyday language and cognitive thought in new and creative ways (Lakoff and Turner, 1989, p.67, cited in Maybin and Swann, 2006, p.18). Carter reasons that everyday figures of speech such as idioms, puns and metaphor are ‘pervasively poetic’ features of language creativity that are not only found in children’s discourse,’ but in adult’s everyday conversational practise (Carter, R, 2006, p.34).