Throughout our society, there are many different perceptions of women. Some are good and some not so good, but these different perceptions of women are determined by different factors. This can come in the form of movies, music, television, or the media. The most obvious, yet powerful way women are portrayed is through writing. For centuries, men and women have used writing to their advantage as a way to express their feelings and emotions towards certain issues or even people. Margaret Atwood does an excellent job of addressing different issues through writing.
In the poem, "Red Fox", by Margaret Atwood, she uses conceit and oxymorons to highlight the corruption of society and how women must struggle to survive. The interesting thing about this poem is that Atwood basically makes women seem very mischevious and sneaky in order to get want they want. However, she does justify it by giving different scenarios and reasons for their behavior. Atwood uses the extended metaphor of a red fox to describe the actions of women in a corrupt society. "The sly trickster's eyes, filled with longing and desperation" are just one of many words used to describe the behavior of women. Atwood was trying to say that some women are willing to be very deceitful and cunning in order to get what they want in life."Her white knife of a smile" implies that this red fox, or woman may seem very friendly at first, but its just a way for her to use people to get her way in life. Another emotion present in Red Fox is that of pain and emptiness. Words and phrases such as "filled with longing and desperation" show that there is something missing or being taken away from the "red fox". This could easily be interpreted into a way to describe the high rate of poverty and injustice in society.
Atwood pointed out in her poem that red foxes, or women, can be very deceitful and sly. However, she also argues that they are justified in what they do. "Why encourage the notion of virtuous poverty?" is the most evident example of how Atwood uses oxymoron to show the issue of corruption and poverty in society. In "Red Fox",she is also saying that "virtuous poverty" is a philosophy that many wealthy and privileged people use as an excuse NOT to help out the poor. "It's only an excuse for zero charity" is a line that portrays the wealthy as people who believe that it is better to remain poor and suffer rather than fight to survive when in reality, they're just saying this so that they won't have to be concerned about helping the poor and abused people in society. Atwood begins to defend the actions of deceitful and cunning women in society with lines like "Of course there are mothers, squeezing their breasts dry, pawning their bodies". This shows that women only do the things they do in order to survive and give themselves (as well as their families) a chance at living a decent life. "To survive we'd all turn thief" really supports Atwood's overall argument defending struggling women in society. Although what they're doing is wrong, they can be justified in their actions because they're only trying to survive. Also, if we were in their shoes, we all would do the same thing in order to ensure ourselves a chance at survival and a good life.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
From The Frontier Of Writing: Commentary
In "From The Frontier Of Writing" by Seamus Heaney, Heaney uses imagery and the extended metaphor of driving down a road to show the stress and anxiety writers face dealing with critics and editors. Heaney compares criticism as a writer to driving down a road to show that there are many obstacles and problems you run into. Writers are often criticized for th things they write about or the type of writing style they have and thats the issue that Heaney was trying to address through this poem.
In the poem there are alot of symbols and metahphors used to describe the feeling of being a writer criticized and watched by others. For example, one line says "the car stops in the road, the troops inspect its make and number" and this shows that people are constantly looking at your works and trying to catergorize it under a certain label. Also, I think that cars represented like the speaker's pen and the road was his canvas or writing surface. It makes sense that Heaney would use a car to relate to writing bcuz they have so much in common. with a car ur able to move as freely as you want to. ALso, you can go in any direction that you desire to go in. It the same with writing, the pen is your vehicle and you can allow it to take you where ever your mind desires to go. The troops and inspectors in this poem represent the critics and editors in the world. They always have something to say pertaining to different types of art such as writing. This can be discouraging at times bcuz they're known for putting people's work down and trying to change it. But I think the whole point of this poem was to show that you can never limit the creativity or thinking process of a writer.
There is an overall tone of insecurity and caution. The speaker doesn't really address a certain person but instead, its almost as if He or she is making it public for everyone to hear. Its like they're tryin to warn us about the different critics and things out there that try to limitor censor our true thoughts and ways of expressing it. They saying that writing is one of those few liberties that no one can take away from us.
In the poem there are alot of symbols and metahphors used to describe the feeling of being a writer criticized and watched by others. For example, one line says "the car stops in the road, the troops inspect its make and number" and this shows that people are constantly looking at your works and trying to catergorize it under a certain label. Also, I think that cars represented like the speaker's pen and the road was his canvas or writing surface. It makes sense that Heaney would use a car to relate to writing bcuz they have so much in common. with a car ur able to move as freely as you want to. ALso, you can go in any direction that you desire to go in. It the same with writing, the pen is your vehicle and you can allow it to take you where ever your mind desires to go. The troops and inspectors in this poem represent the critics and editors in the world. They always have something to say pertaining to different types of art such as writing. This can be discouraging at times bcuz they're known for putting people's work down and trying to change it. But I think the whole point of this poem was to show that you can never limit the creativity or thinking process of a writer.
There is an overall tone of insecurity and caution. The speaker doesn't really address a certain person but instead, its almost as if He or she is making it public for everyone to hear. Its like they're tryin to warn us about the different critics and things out there that try to limitor censor our true thoughts and ways of expressing it. They saying that writing is one of those few liberties that no one can take away from us.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Blackberry-Picking: The Commentary
In Blackberry-Picking, by Seamus Heaney, Heaney uses Imagery and Blackberries as a metaphor for the speaker's transition from adolecence to maturity. Imagery is used to show the natural or physical action of picking berries but, it also show the speaker's loss of innocence transtion into realization. These effects are used to highlight the speaker's vivid memories of a favorite pastime of his or hers- Blackberry picking! This not only shows a chilhood memory of the speaker, but it also shows the speaker's transition from loss of innocence into adulthood or reality. The overall structure and tone really contribute to the whole meaning of the poem as well because its very different from most poetry. For example, the poem isn't really broken up into stanzas, they're all clumped together somewhat like a short story or maybe even a journal entry. Because it is structured like a journal or diary entry, it kinda shows that this poem is very important to the creator and perhaps it could be even personal to him as well. Also, the 1st "stanza" is much longer than the 2nd one and the 1st one happens to be very positive and colorful, whereas the 2nd one is much shorter and its very dark and depressing as far as tone and mood.
In Blackberry-Picking, Heaney uses imagery to describe his childhood memories of picking berries. This was something that was very precious and important to him because in the natural, blackberry picking was a tradition for the speaker as a child but it has a more significant meaning to it. Blackberry picking represents the speaker's adolecence and innocence and throughout the 1st stanza, the whole mood and tone of the poem is very peaceful and pleasurable. For example, it says "we trekked and picked until the cans were full" and this shows the speaker's carelessness and free spirit. Berries are used to show the speaker's transtion from innocence to adulthood and this is evident in lines like"one glossy purple clot among others, red, green, hard as a knot" and this shows the growth and change the berries go through as they begin to ripen.
Also, the word "ripen" is very important to the poem and my thesis because it represents change and growth to fruits. I think the word "ripen" also signifies the change the speaker is going through in the poem. Usually when a fruit is ripening, its beginning to develop and change into a state in which its able to be eaten, and thats exactly what the speaker is going through. In the 1st stanza, the overall mood and tone is very innocent, careless, and free. But in the 2nd stanza, its much shorter and the whole mood and tone is very dark and depressing. I think the stanzas are so different in length because the reader obviously enjoyed the blackberry picking more and he or she liked the feeling of being care-free and playful. The 2nd stanza is much shorter in length compared to the 1st because this is the point in the poem where the speaker realizes that good things don't last forever. For example, it says"The juice was stinking too....the sweet flesh would turn sour" and this shows that those sweet berries are all beginning to go bad and they've lost their flavor and sweetness. This is the point where the speaker loses his or her innocence and begins to see reality. Finally, the speaker realizes that everything isn't sweet (lol no pun intended) and at some point all things, good and bad, must come to end.
In Blackberry-Picking, Heaney uses imagery to describe his childhood memories of picking berries. This was something that was very precious and important to him because in the natural, blackberry picking was a tradition for the speaker as a child but it has a more significant meaning to it. Blackberry picking represents the speaker's adolecence and innocence and throughout the 1st stanza, the whole mood and tone of the poem is very peaceful and pleasurable. For example, it says "we trekked and picked until the cans were full" and this shows the speaker's carelessness and free spirit. Berries are used to show the speaker's transtion from innocence to adulthood and this is evident in lines like"one glossy purple clot among others, red, green, hard as a knot" and this shows the growth and change the berries go through as they begin to ripen.
Also, the word "ripen" is very important to the poem and my thesis because it represents change and growth to fruits. I think the word "ripen" also signifies the change the speaker is going through in the poem. Usually when a fruit is ripening, its beginning to develop and change into a state in which its able to be eaten, and thats exactly what the speaker is going through. In the 1st stanza, the overall mood and tone is very innocent, careless, and free. But in the 2nd stanza, its much shorter and the whole mood and tone is very dark and depressing. I think the stanzas are so different in length because the reader obviously enjoyed the blackberry picking more and he or she liked the feeling of being care-free and playful. The 2nd stanza is much shorter in length compared to the 1st because this is the point in the poem where the speaker realizes that good things don't last forever. For example, it says"The juice was stinking too....the sweet flesh would turn sour" and this shows that those sweet berries are all beginning to go bad and they've lost their flavor and sweetness. This is the point where the speaker loses his or her innocence and begins to see reality. Finally, the speaker realizes that everything isn't sweet (lol no pun intended) and at some point all things, good and bad, must come to end.
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