Reading the Poem

Read it more than once Dictionary Hear the sounds: rhyme, meter, etc. Pay attention to the message/what the poem is saying Read aloud

On Reading Aloud... “One of the worst ways is to read it [the poem] ta-DUM ta-DUM ta-DUM, with an exaggerated emphasis on every other syllable. Read naturally.

Paraphrase

“The Man He Killed” This is included for its clear theme, “The paraphrase may be shorter or longer than the poem, but it should contain all the ideas in the poem in such a way as to make them clear and to make the central idea, or theme, of the poem more accessible.”

A Study Of Reading Habits by Philip Larkin When getting my nose in a book Cured most things short of school, It was worth ruining my eyes To know I could still keep cool, And deal out the old right hook To dirty dogs twice my size. Later, with inch-thick specs, Evil was just my lark: Me and my cloak and fangs Had ripping times in the dark. The women I clubbed with sex! I broke them up like meringues. Don't read much now: the dude Who lets the girl down before The hero arrives, the chap Who's yellow and keeps the store Seem far too familiar. Get stewed: Books are a load of crap.

“A Study of Reading Habits” 1 st Stanza paraphrased: 2 nd Stanza paraphrased: 3 rd Stanza paraphrased:

Question – Who is the speaker? – What is the occasion? – What is the central purpose of the poem?

“Is My Team Plowing?” Get the basics from page 676 as to why this poem is included: Central purpose: Means by which CP is achieved:

Assignment: “The Man He Killed” Questions 1 & 2; instead of 3 analyze: Speaker, Occasion, & Purpose Select TWO other poems to analyze (I’ve always been fond of Sylvia Plath’s work, so “Mirror” is a good one, and the questions are good, too).