1. English II
January 12, 2018
As you come in, get a copy of “An Obstacle” (on the table). Read it, and answer the questions on the back. We will go over the answers and discuss them during class. Be prepared to explain why you chose the answer you did.
“Because it sounded right” is NOT a valid answer!! 

2. Poetry: Analyzing Poetic Language
The most important thing to remember in poetry is that, no matter what type of language is used, there is always a deeper meaning. That is what we must be looking for.
Strategies for finding deeper meaning:
Read the title of the poem. What does it suggest the poem might be about?
Read the poem aloud several times. What is the overall pattern of rhythm and rhyme? Is there a clear pattern?
Visualize the images created by the poem’s diction. Do the images remind you of anything? Let those comparisons paint a picture in your head.
Clarify words and phrases. If there is a word you’re unfamiliar with, look it up! If you don’t know the literal meaning of a word, it is impossible to know the deeper meaning.
Evaluate the poem’s theme. Ask yourself what message the poet is trying to send. Does it relate to your life in any way?
Read SLOWLY! The biggest mistake readers make is to rush through poetry. You must read it slowly, line by line, in order to get the full meaning.

3. Poetry: Analyzing Poetic Language
“Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night”
By Dylan Thomas
What is the theme of this poem?
Who is the speaker?
To whom is he speaking?
Do you agree with the speaker that people should fiercely resist death, clinging passionately to their lives? Or should people die calmly?
How does the repetition of "Do not go gentle into that good night" and "Rage, rage against the dying of the light" make you feel as a reader? Does your reaction to these repeated lines change as the poem progresses?
How would the poem sound different if Thomas had written "gently" instead of "gentle" in the refrain?

4. Poetry: Analyzing Poetic Language
“Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night”
By Dylan Thomas
Another famous poem about death is John Donne's "A Valediction Forbidding Mourning," which begins with the words "As virtuous men pass mildly away." What would the speaker of "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" have thought of the idea that "virtuous men" decide to "pass away" in a mild way?
Some people like to talk about Dylan Thomas's lyricism – the musical quality of his poetry. What aspects of "Do Not Go Gentle" might give a reader the impression of a song or song lyrics? What do you think the relationship is between poetry and music?

5. Homework
No homeword.
***EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY*** Pick one of the poems and rewrite it as a story. Then, in a couple of sentences, explain what may be lost when translating it from a poem to a story.

6. Next week we will…
Continue our study of poetry by diving deeper into theme, mood, and tone.