"Courage" By Anne Sexton

Why should we analyze poetry? TP-CASTT Poetry Analysis

TITLE: Consider the title and make a prediction about what the poem is about. Courage

PARAPHRASE: Translate the poem line by line into your own words on a literal level.  It is in the small things we see it. The child's first step, as awesome as an earthquake. The first time you rode a bike, wallowing up the sidewalk. The first spanking when your heart went on a journey all alone. When they called you crybaby or poor or fatty or crazy and made you into an alien, you drank their acid and concealed it. This stanza is about growing up and all of the difficulties encountered in the process. Sometimes we hide those difficulties from others.

CONNOTATION: Examine the poem for meaning beyond the literal CONNOTATION: Examine the poem for meaning beyond the literal. Look for figurative language, imagery, and sound elements. It is in the small things we see it. The child's first step, as awesome as an earthquake. The first time you rode a bike, wallowing up the sidewalk. The first spanking when your heart went on a journey all alone. When they called you crybaby or poor or fatty or crazy and made you into an alien, you drank their acid and concealed it. Simile: compares first step to earthquake because has tremendous impact  Personification: heart going on a journey personifies the loneliness we encounter and this is important because how we cope determines opportunities we will receive or not receive Metaphor: comparing us to an alien is used to explain the depth of loneliness Similarly, drinking the acid is a metaphor explaining figuratively how we hide difficulties from others because either we want to deal on our own or maybe because we are embarrassed

ATTITUDE/TONE: Notice the speaker’s tone and attitude. Humor. Sarcasm ATTITUDE/TONE: Notice the speaker’s tone and attitude. Humor? Sarcasm? Awe? It is in the small things we see it. The child's first step, as awesome as an earthquake. The first time you rode a bike, wallowing up the sidewalk. The first spanking when your heart went on a journey all alone. When they called you crybaby or poor or fatty or crazy and made you into an alien, you drank their acid and concealed it. Diction: Which words create an attitude of fear, loneliness, or hurt?

SHIFTS: Note any shifts or changes in speaker or attitude SHIFTS: Note any shifts or changes in speaker or attitude. Look for key words, time change, punctuation. It is in the small things we see it. The child's first step, as awesome as an earthquake. The first time you rode a bike, wallowing up the sidewalk. The first spanking when your heart went on a journey all alone. When they called you crybaby or poor or fatty or crazy and made you into an alien, you drank their acid and concealed it. Later, Which word shows transition in time?