What does the IGCSE want? Poetry Analysis Essay What does the IGCSE want?

What does it mean to ‘Analyze’ a poem? First, we need to figure out the theme -sometimes this is very general, such as ‘the beauty of nature’ or ‘death’ -sometimes this is more specific, like a lesson from the poem. Ex: ‘Preventing people from achieving their dreams can have negative consequences’ or ‘fearing the unknown causes people to do foolish things’

Cont. Second, we need to talk about how the author uses literary devices to make their point about the theme of the poem. Think about the poem ‘Snake’. Figurative language (extended metaphor- snake = human/king) Imagery (how the snake moved, what it looked like) Repetition (‘The voices of my education’) Symbolism (Gold = Royalty) Tone/Mood (Conflicted/Sympathetic) Rhyme (No rhyme- why?)

How does the poet use these elements to add meaning? ‘Like a king in exile’ -A simile might be used to show a comparison of the snake to an important and honored person, such as a king. ‘The voice of my education said to me/The voices of my accursed human education. -Repetition might be used to make a point very clear- the voices that told the author what he should do were the voices of others, not from himself.

Introduction to a Poetry Analysis Essay Get the reader’s attention Explain the overall theme/message of the poem What is the author trying to tell readers about life? End with a thesis statement (mention the topic & the poem’s title, and the 3 elements you will focus on)

What will the thesis look like? Simple: ‘A number of literary devices can be found throughout D.H. Lawrence’s poem, ‘Snake’. Better: D.H. Lawrence’s poem, ‘Snake’, uses the literary devices of figurative language, imagery and repetition to show us that what we are taught and what we believe in our hearts are not always the same. (Introduces the poet and poem, and explains what theme the literary devices show)

Body Paragraphs Choose ONE literary device Give examples of the literary device (quotes) Explain the meaning (paraphrase) Talk about how it adds meaning to the poem (Why is it important? What does it show us?) Each paragraph should have a topic sentence, supporting evidence, and a concluding sentence

Conclusion Re-state the thesis using different words Add your comments about what the poet was trying to teach the reader (summarize/paraphrase the theme) Can talk about how this message is useful today in the reader’s life (add your opinion)

References Adapted from: https://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/how-to-write-a-poetry-analysis-essay-powerpoint-6443563

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