The Why and How of Poetry Analysis

Why Analyze Poetry? Why analyze anything?

Real-Life Analysis It might help you save some money. It might help you get a job or into college. It might help you help a friend. It might help you make sense of the world around you.

Analysis Might Save You Money What is being sold? How are they trying to sell it? Is it worth the cost? Analyzing a commercial

Analysis Might Help You Get A Job Help Wanted Ads – Is this the job you think it is? Application – What kind of answers are they hoping for?

Analysis might help you help a friend. What do the following faces say without talking? What do the facial expressions actually mean?

Analysis might help you make sense of the world around you. For example, politicians are famous for cryptic speeches that may not really say anything “When you pick up that ballot to vote, you will face the clearest choice of any time in a generation. Over the next few years big decisions will be made in Washington on jobs, the economy, taxes and deficits, energy, education, war and peace—decisions that will have a huge impact on our lives and on our children’s lives for decades to come.” * President Obama quoted by The New Yorker

Analysis might help you make sense of the world around you. “When you pick up that ballot to vote, you will face the clearest choice of any time in a generation. Over the next few years big decisions will be made in Washington on jobs, the economy, taxes and deficits, energy, education, war and peace—decisions that will have a huge impact on our lives and on our children’s lives for decades to come.” For example, politicians are famous for cryptic speeches that may not really say anything “When you pick up that ballot to vote, you will face the clearest choice of any time in a generation. Over the next few years big decisions will be made in Washington on jobs, the economy, taxes and deficits, energy, education, war and peace—decisions that will have a huge impact on our lives and on our children’s lives for decades to come.” * President Obama quoted by The New Yorker

So Why Analyze Poetry? Analyzing poetry lends itself to analyzing all kinds of texts you will come into contact with in life. It forces you to pick out specific elements, model them and use them back up your understanding. At the end of the day poems are expressions of the human condition. There are few more valuable life skills than being able to understand others. Poetry requires us to look beyond the words on the page and see what it is actually being said.

How to Analyze Poetry: LEST Literal Emotional Stylistic Thematic What does it exactly say? How does it make you feel as you read the words? What literary methods did they use to make you feel or understand? What are they trying to say or make you understand?

If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking By Emily Dickinson If I can stop one Heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one Life the Aching, Or cool one Pain, Or help one fainting Robin Unto his Nest again, I shall not live in vain.

If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking By Emily Dickinson I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one Life the Aching, Or cool one Pain, Or help one fainting Robin Unto his Nest again, I shall not live in vain. L … LITERAL Without reading anything extra into it, what is this poem literally saying? It seems that the speaker is saying that as long as she can help keep someone else from feeling pain or suffering, then her own life will mean something.

If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking By Emily Dickinson I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one Life the Aching, Or cool one Pain, Or help one fainting Robin Unto his Nest again, I shall not live in vain. E … EMOTIONAL What elements/phrases define the tone? (These will lead you into figuring out a meaning) Capital Letters: Heart, Life, Aching, Pain, Robin, Nest (figure out why she did this) Many ways of helping: Cool one Pain, Ease one Life, Help one fainting Robin (why so many?) NOTE: Defending your impressions is lifelong skill. Use examples. Cite evidence.

If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking By Emily Dickinson I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one Life the Aching, Or cool one Pain, Or help one fainting Robin Unto his Nest again, I shall not live in vain. S … Stylistic What poetic/literary devices does the writer use? Rhyme: Pain, vain, again … aching, breaking Repetition: “If I …” “I shall not live in vain” “Or …” Metaphor: Possibly comparing a human to a “fainting robin” First-person narration: Makes it personal

Theme Theme is defined as a main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary work that may be stated directly or indirectly. This is the part where we understand not just what is being said, but what the author means to convey. We put the text into the context of real life.

If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking By Emily Dickinson I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one Life the Aching, Or cool one Pain, Or help one fainting Robin Unto his Nest again, I shall not live in vain. T … Thematic What could this all add up to mean as a theme? The speaker seems to suggest the theme that someone’s life is worth more if they are concerned with helping others. Helping others can help you. One can consider a life a success if one is able to help at least one person to be happier, to be without pain or heartbreak. If one does not, then they are a failure.