Focus on PoetryFocus on Poetry

By By Mrs. JuliousMrs. Julious

For For World LiteratureWorld Literature

Poetry (form of Poetry (form of communication)communication)

To understand a poet’s message, you need To understand a poet’s message, you need to learn the elements of poetry. to learn the elements of poetry.

We will study selected poetry that relates We will study selected poetry that relates to the plight of Americans. to the plight of Americans.

While reading “A Lesson before Dying” you While reading “A Lesson before Dying” you saw how social injustice played a part in our saw how social injustice played a part in our socio-historical background in America. socio-historical background in America. Poetry was written to convey the essence of Poetry was written to convey the essence of a greater meaning during these times. a greater meaning during these times.

Focus on PoetryFocus on Poetry

Many people do not like poetry. Many people do not like poetry. Others think poetry is still the world’s Others think poetry is still the world’s most powerful form of communication. most powerful form of communication. To understand a poet’s message and To understand a poet’s message and your next major assignment you need your next major assignment you need to learn the elements of poetry.to learn the elements of poetry.

Elements of PoetryElements of Poetry

CharacterCharacter- refers to the - refers to the speakerspeaker

ImageryImagery- images used to - images used to appeal to any or all sensesappeal to any or all senses

ThemeTheme- idea or meaning of - idea or meaning of a poema poem

ToneTone- an attitude that the - an attitude that the poet conveys to you the poet conveys to you the reader. reader.

RhymeRhyme- is repetition of the - is repetition of the same soundsame sound

MetaphorMetaphor- the comparison - the comparison of one thing to anotherof one thing to another

SimileSimile- the comparison of - the comparison of one thing to another one thing to another through the use of like or through the use of like or asas

PersonificationPersonification- the giving - the giving of human qualities to of human qualities to nonhuman subjectsnonhuman subjects

PoetryPoetry

HyperboleHyperbole- to express ideas forcefully - to express ideas forcefully through exaggerationthrough exaggeration

AlliterationAlliteration- repetition of beginning sounds in - repetition of beginning sounds in successive syllablessuccessive syllables

RhythmRhythm- a regular pattern of strong and - a regular pattern of strong and weak units of sound. You can discover the weak units of sound. You can discover the rhythm of a poem by reading the poem rhythm of a poem by reading the poem aloud and clapping each sound as you read.aloud and clapping each sound as you read.

Elements of Poetry (cont.)Elements of Poetry (cont.)

Onomatopoeia-Onomatopoeia- a word, when pronounced, a word, when pronounced, sounds like the sound it is describingsounds like the sound it is describing

IronyIrony- the unexpected happens- the unexpected happens AssonanceAssonance- poet repeats a vowel sound in a - poet repeats a vowel sound in a

line of poetryline of poetry SymbolSymbol- an object that represents a larger - an object that represents a larger

idea.idea.

Guidelines for Major AssignmentGuidelines for Major Assignment

Your group will be Your group will be responsible for:responsible for:

Searching for a poem Searching for a poem with group from a with group from a socio-historical time of socio-historical time of your choiceyour choice

Creating a Power point Creating a Power point presentation of this presentation of this poempoem

Write a brief summary Write a brief summary of the poet’s biographyof the poet’s biography

What about the poet’s What about the poet’s world might have world might have inspired his or her inspired his or her words?words?

What is the message What is the message the poet is trying to the poet is trying to conveyconvey

Guidelines(cont.)Guidelines(cont.)

How did life experience impact the poet’s How did life experience impact the poet’s writing?writing?

Every power point must include the Every power point must include the following:following:

1.1. You must read and display the poem on You must read and display the poem on the screenthe screen

2.2. Choose unfamiliar words, terms, or Choose unfamiliar words, terms, or phrases to explain-at least 4phrases to explain-at least 4

3.3. Give at least 3 poetic devices usedGive at least 3 poetic devices used

Guidelines (cont.)Guidelines (cont.)

Analyze the poem/line by lineAnalyze the poem/line by line What is the message the author is trying to What is the message the author is trying to

convey?convey? Make connections between the historical Make connections between the historical

context, author’s personal experiences, and context, author’s personal experiences, and your group’s own interpretation of the your group’s own interpretation of the poem’s meaning.poem’s meaning.

Due May 19, 2008Due May 19, 2008

Steps for Reading and Analyzing a Steps for Reading and Analyzing a PoemPoem

How to Read a PoemHow to Read a Poem Step 1: Read the poem through at least three Step 1: Read the poem through at least three

times:times: Step 2: Ask yourself questions about the speaker, Step 2: Ask yourself questions about the speaker,

situation, and subject:situation, and subject: Step 3: Look at patterns and poetic devices:Step 3: Look at patterns and poetic devices: Step 4: So what does it all mean? What is the Step 4: So what does it all mean? What is the

message? What is the point?message? What is the point? Analyzing of Poems comes next.Analyzing of Poems comes next.

Steps for analyzing poemsSteps for analyzing poems

1.1. Define any unfamiliar words or language.Define any unfamiliar words or language.

2.2. Read through the poem at least twice.Read through the poem at least twice.

3.3. Identify any literary terms.Identify any literary terms.

4.4. Identify characters in the poem.Identify characters in the poem.

5.5. Decide if the poem tells a story.Decide if the poem tells a story.

6.6. If so, summarize the plot (sequence of If so, summarize the plot (sequence of events) of each stanza.events) of each stanza.

Analysis Cont.Analysis Cont.

7.7. Decide what the theme (major point, Decide what the theme (major point, meaning or idea) of the poem is.meaning or idea) of the poem is.

8.8. Establish a personal relationship with the Establish a personal relationship with the poem.poem.

9.9. How does this poem relate to me, my life, How does this poem relate to me, my life, or my world.or my world.

Paul Laurence DunbarPaul Laurence Dunbar

Dunbar was born in Dayton, Ohio, the son of Dunbar was born in Dayton, Ohio, the son of former slaves. He began writing while still in former slaves. He began writing while still in high school. The only black student in his high school. The only black student in his class, he became class president and class class, he became class president and class poet. He supported himself by working as poet. He supported himself by working as an elevator operator, while he continued to an elevator operator, while he continued to write. Dunbar realized that he was not write. Dunbar realized that he was not valued for the poems he considered to be valued for the poems he considered to be his major work. his major work.

Paul Laurence Dunbar (cont.)Paul Laurence Dunbar (cont.)

His readers, who were chiefly whites His readers, who were chiefly whites preferred poems that reinforced the preferred poems that reinforced the stereotypes of contented blacks living in stereotypes of contented blacks living in harmony on Southern plantations. Dunbar harmony on Southern plantations. Dunbar wrote short stories and novels, but he is wrote short stories and novels, but he is best remembered as a poet. He died from best remembered as a poet. He died from pneumonia in 1906. Paul Laurence Dunbar pneumonia in 1906. Paul Laurence Dunbar was the first African American poet to was the first African American poet to achieve national recognition. achieve national recognition.

We Wear the MaskWe Wear the Maskby by

Paul Laurence Dunbar Paul Laurence Dunbar We wear the mask We wear the mask

that grins and lies,that grins and lies, This debt we pay to This debt we pay to

human guile;human guile; With torn and With torn and

bleeding hearts we bleeding hearts we smile,smile,

And mouth with And mouth with myriad subtletiesmyriad subtleties

Why should the Why should the world be over-wise,world be over-wise,

In counting all our In counting all our tears and sighs?tears and sighs?

Nay, let them only Nay, let them only see us, whilesee us, while

We wear the mask.We wear the mask.

We Wear the Mask (cont.)We Wear the Mask (cont.)

We smile but, O great Christ, our criesWe smile but, O great Christ, our cries In thee from tortured souls arise.In thee from tortured souls arise. We sing, but oh the clay is vileWe sing, but oh the clay is vile Beneath our feet, and long the mile;Beneath our feet, and long the mile; But let the world dream otherwise,But let the world dream otherwise, We wear the mask.We wear the mask.

VocabularyVocabulary

GuileGuile- skillful deceit- skillful deceit MyriadMyriad- a vast number- a vast number SubtletiesSubtleties- so slight as - so slight as

to be difficult to detectto be difficult to detect NayNay- No- No TorturedTortured- to bring great - to bring great

physical or mental pain physical or mental pain upon anotherupon another..

VileVile- disgusting- disgusting MaskMask- cover of some - cover of some

thing used to disguise thing used to disguise the facethe face

““Analyzing the Poem”Analyzing the Poem”

We wear the mask We wear the mask that grins and liesthat grins and lies

It hides our cheeks It hides our cheeks and shades our eyesand shades our eyes

This debt we pay to This debt we pay to human guile;human guile;

With torn and With torn and bleeding hearts we bleeding hearts we smile,smile,

And mouth with And mouth with myriad subtletiesmyriad subtleties

We bear the faces that We bear the faces that are always smiling but are always smiling but we’re notwe’re not

It hides the truth and It hides the truth and keeps us from revealing keeps us from revealing the truth.the truth.

This moral obligation we This moral obligation we pay for human deceit.pay for human deceit.

We hide our painful We hide our painful feelings by smiling.feelings by smiling.

And speak with And speak with numerous statements.numerous statements.

Analyzing the Poem (cont.)Analyzing the Poem (cont.)

Why should the world Why should the world be over-wise counting be over-wise counting all our tears and all our tears and sighs?sighs?

Nay, let them only see Nay, let them only see us, whileus, while

We wear the mask.We wear the mask. We smile, but, O great We smile, but, O great

Christ, our cries in Christ, our cries in thee from tortured thee from tortured souls arise.souls arise.

Why should the world Why should the world be concerned with be concerned with our tears and sighs?our tears and sighs?

No, let them only see No, let them only see our false faces.our false faces.

We show false faces.We show false faces. We smile, but we are We smile, but we are

really crying from really crying from unhappiness in our unhappiness in our heartshearts

Analysis of Poem (cont.)Analysis of Poem (cont.)

In thee from In thee from tortured souls arise. tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the We sing, but oh the clay is vile beneath clay is vile beneath our feet, and long our feet, and long the mile;the mile;

But let the world But let the world dream otherwise,dream otherwise,

We wear the maskWe wear the mask

Souls with great Souls with great physical or mental pain physical or mental pain has arose.has arose.

We sing, but have been We sing, but have been considered low in worth, considered low in worth, for a long, long time.for a long, long time.

But let the world But let the world pretend that’s not true,pretend that’s not true,

We cover our pain with We cover our pain with smiles smiles

Poetic DevicesPoetic Devices

RhymeRhyme- lies-eyes, guile-smile, wise-sighs- lies-eyes, guile-smile, wise-sighs RepetitionRepetition- We wear the mask- We wear the mask PersonificationPersonification- the mask that grins and lies/ - the mask that grins and lies/

of course a mask can’t grin or lie but it has of course a mask can’t grin or lie but it has be given human qualitiesbe given human qualities

Plot of the PoemPlot of the Poem

This mask is used for the people in this poem This mask is used for the people in this poem to conceal their feelings or intentions from to conceal their feelings or intentions from others. It is like they are putting on an act to others. It is like they are putting on an act to protect their real feelings and thoughts. They protect their real feelings and thoughts. They hate hiding their feelings but they know they hate hiding their feelings but they know they must. Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote this, I must. Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote this, I think, to tell about how African Americans hid think, to tell about how African Americans hid their true feelings from the white people during their true feelings from the white people during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. They did it for the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. They did it for many reasons and they felt the world knew the many reasons and they felt the world knew the truth but wanted to hide it themselvestruth but wanted to hide it themselves. .

Theme and SummaryTheme and Summary

The theme of this poem would be “every thing The theme of this poem would be “every thing you see is not what it seems”. This poem is you see is not what it seems”. This poem is showing how people use “masks” as showing how people use “masks” as defenses or a false faces. It was very hard defenses or a false faces. It was very hard for the African Americans during that time for the African Americans during that time but they didn’t show their true selves, but they didn’t show their true selves, instead they had to hide their true feelings. instead they had to hide their true feelings. This was done for protection or pride. This was done for protection or pride.