Siren Song Margaret Atwood

Paraphrase: Stanza 1-3: Everyone wants to learn the irresistible song, the song that causes people to do things even though they know better, the song nobody knows because those who have heard it are dead.

Stanza 4-6: The Siren offers to tell the secret of the song in exchange for getting it out of the bird suit & away from the other 2 Sirens.

Stanzas 7-9: The Siren promises to tell the secret to the person because he is unique. The ending seems to indicate the person, like others before, has been lured (to persuade someone to do something) to his death.

Tone Tone is the attitude taken by the author or speaker toward the subject of a work. Tone may be communicated through particular words & details that express emotions & that evoke an emotional response in the reader.

The tone of "Siren Song" may be contemptuous, manipulative, mocking, or sarcastic. Only you, only you can," creates a mocking or sarcastic tone. Shall I tell you the secret," creates a manipulative tone. The song that forces men / to leap overboard in squadrons / even though they see the beached skulls," creates a contemptuous tone. Contempt may also be detected when she tells each man that he is "unique," though she makes it plain that she feels men are all alike..

Theme Pride and curiosity are fatal character flaws. In "Siren Song," Atwood plays off the mythical idea that Sirens seduce their victims in order to demonstrate the same manipulative tendencies in women and poets. As women seduce men; poets seduce their readers. Pride and curiosity are fatal character flaws.