Introduction
The genres of Literature
In order to do a good literature analysis one has to know the genres of Literature and their 'elements/features' associated with that genre. As you will know, the three genres of Literature are: Poetry, Drama and Prose Fiction.
Poetry
For instance, Poetry by definition is 'a compact verbal utterance in, more or less, musical tone exploring some aspect of external or internal reality(Raffel)'. This means that poetry, one, tries to say as much as in less words. Even if the poem is 'long' the quality of control of language, images and thought must be evident for it to be a 'good' poem. This is what is helps with the hidden nature of poetry. Often there is as much or even more that is not said directly than what is said outright. This also ties in with the figurative(deeper, hidden) meaning of the poem.
'Verbal' simply means the use of words which, it should be added, that the poet uses words in a special way, clipped, with a selected diction geared at highlighting specific points of subjective observation and understanding. take for example the famous haiku by Basho-
The old pond-
a frog jumps in,
sound of water.
a frog jumps in,
sound of water.
This, like all haiku poems, focuses on a particular experience but more specifically a minute aspect of it: the sound of the frog falling in the water. The focus(images etc) and language are selected to highlight this limited view; yet the reader can interpret several hidden meanings to his/her own understanding.
"More or less" is also important in understanding the definition, almost as important as "musical". Poetry's long and indivisible relationship to music has been well documented so that explains itself but the term 'more or less' now speaks to the degree of musicality a particular poem may have. And, of course, some poems have more than others(this will be explored later).
Lastly, is the concept of exploring reality, whether external or internal. This idea speaks to the nature of poetry and poets to interpret things around them(reality), internalizing it and even reconstructing it to depict their understanding of it. The distinction of 'external' and 'internal' are not as clear cut in poetry. Whatever the poet internalizes about the experience can become the external reality of the experience as the poet shows the experience to his/her audience/reader. Some poets and poems even are purely based on that internal reality becoming highly metaphoric while others are more focused on the external becoming very literal in its approach.
Another definition I have constructed, which is more 'practical' than Raffel's, is 'Poetry is a subjective, emotional expression of an experience using lineation and imagery'. This definition speaks clearly to what it means: poetry is based, as said before, on the subjective and emotional understanding of a poet's view of an experience in which he depicts the experience through lineation(how he shapes the lines) and imagery(use of sensory details and appeal to paint a mental picture). One may ask why other devices or features are not highlighted in this definition. This is because this writer is of the view that a poem can be well crafted without the use of any other feature but these two-but, for it to be poetry any at all, it needs those features at basic(lineation and imagery). Even if it is a "prose poem", the poet still has chosen to shape the lineation in this prosaic way and must use sensory details to tell the experience.
Poems for CSEC ENGLISH B
Once upon a time"
Title-alludes to the fairy tale happy ending that the persona envisions and his desire to return to innocence.
Literal meaning-stanza
1 shows the persona addressing his "son" telling him how
'they'(adults?) used to be genuine(when younger?) but now are fake yet
the coldness can be seen in their eyes.....in stanza 2 he mentions a
time when they used to greeting warmly but "that's gone"...now they
greet just for a show and to get money...stanza 3 discusses how they
pretend to like your presence but will not appreciate you coming too
often....stanza 4 shows how he has now learned 'many things' like how to
wear many faces with smiles....in stanza 5 he says he too has learned to
laugh falsely like them(as in stanza 1) and greet hypocritically like
them...stanza 6 expresses his desire to return to innocence, like the
son is-a time when he laughed genuinely because now his laughter is
vicious...stanza 7 ends the poem by asking the son to teach him how to
return to this innocence-a state he was once at like the son is...
Figurative meaning(Themes/issues)-
1. Innocence of children-the son is genuine in his ways(Lesson: children are honest)
2. Growing up/Adulthood-the adults are fake and cruel(Lesson:adults can be fake and cruel)
3. Guilt and Regret-the persona regrets what he has become and seems guilty(Lesson: bad choices/actions lead to guilt and regret)
4. Reflection-he is looking at himself critically(Lesson: you should always evaluate yourself)
5. Hope-he thinks he can learned and change(Lesson: you should always grow even when older)
6. Humility-he thinks he isn't too old to learn(Lesson: you are never too old to learn)
Devices and their uses-
1. Metaphor-line 5:"ice-block-cold eyes"(shows how cold the eyes are)
2.
Allusion-the title and line 1 are a reference to the typical start of a
fairy tale(shows the fairy tale ending he desires for his life)
3.
Contrast -the son/children vs the father/adults...past vs present(shows
how different these things are from each other...innocence vs
hypocrisy)
4.
Monologue-the persona addresses the son but the son doesn't
answer(shows the father's confession of guilt and admiration of son's
innocence)
5. Dialogue-stanza 3 and 5 tell how adults talk fake to each other(shows what they are like-fake-and what the persona really is)
6. Simile-a) like dresses(shows the faces they put on)
b) like a fixed portrait smile(shows how fake and rehearsed the
smile is)
c) like a snake(shows how vicious he has become in his own eyes)
7. Punctuation-a) dash in line 21(used to give the different type of faces they put
on)
b)exclamation in line 39(shows how cruel he thinks he has
become)
8. Repetition-of "faces"(shows how many different appearances he has to have and how annoyed he is at this lifestyle he lives)
Short Stories for CSEC ENGLISH B
"Berry" by Langston Hughes
Title-shows
the closeness of the children to the titular character, Milberry, where
they started calling him "Berry"(suggestions of sweet-naturedness?)
Setting-Rural
North, a Children's Home for the Crippled; mood-suspicious,
distant(towards Milberry) at first then close, caring(the children and
nurses to Berry) and finally, bitterness and condemnation(of him in the
end...not the children though)
Characters:
1.
Berry-helpful(with nurses and children), honest black youth from
Georgia; hard-working(up early doing other people's work) but
uneducated, smart(realizes the falseness of the place).
2.
Dr. Renfield- pretentious, uncaring; acts good but is using the Home
for profit only(according to Berry); racist(attitude to Berry);
condemning, stereotyping and insular(seen in his quick condemnation of
Berry in the end).
3.
Mrs Osborn- pretentious(likes Dr. Renfield but hides it); suspicious(of
Berry), close-minded and insular(in condemning Berry in the end).
4. Mrs. Baxter-open-minded, caring and grateful(shown in her need and gratitude to Berry and work with children).
5. Children-innocent, loving, open-minded, caring(shown in their love and acceptance of Berry even in the end)
Themes
1. Pretension-Mrs. Osborn and Dr. Renfield pretend to care but are not
really looking out for the children(Not everyone who acts good are)
2.
Racism and stereotype-they expect bad of Berry so the accident in the
end was exaggerated(when someone sees you as bad you are doomed to fail)
3.
Racial conflict/Black existentialism-Berry tries his best but was
doomed from the start(blacks seem fated to fail in a white world)
4.
Ignorance and Insularity-whites were ignorant to his good nature and
work(when you are blinded by bigotry you can not see their good)
5.
Innocence-the children saw beyond the stereotype of Berry an saw his
inner goodness(when you heart is pure you will see the hidden virtue in
things)
6.
What seems vs what is-Dr. Renfield seems good but is not...Berry sees
the whole place seem fake(not everything that seems real is is)
7.
The nature of morality-the child had not yet learned hatred so they
accepted Berry for who he is inside(morality like language is learned)
Techniques
1.
Dialogue- the children's language of love to Berry(shows how they loved
him) and Mrs Baxter's need for help(shows she appreciated his help) and
Berry's lack of education though her is still smart(shows that he only
lacks opportunity)
2. Humor-at the start, Mrs Osborn's shock that he is black(used to ridicule her attitude)
3. questions-Mrs Osborn asking "Where is he to sleep?"(shows her disgust at black people
4. Punctuation- a) Exclamation-"He turned out colored!"(shows Mrs Osborn's disgust and also ridicules her)
b) Brackets-shows Berry's true worth to them
5.
Contrast-a) The children playing at the start while she is shocked at
the coming of the black boy(shows their innocence to her learned hatred)
b) The white people's ungratefulness towards him vs Berry's gratitude of
the work
c) the adults only talk to Berry to get something done vs the children's
loving communication with him
d) In the end the boy who fell forgave him vs the adults condemnation of
him
6. Parallelism-Berry is much like the children, social and emotionally-
innocent, caring and rejected(shows the image and plight of black people in a white world)
7.
Irony-Mrs Osborn feared Berry coming but needed him as time went on; he
worked hard and fit in though they thought he wouldn't...in the end
even though he tried hard to fit in one little mishap ruined him(shows
how the black man fated to fail in a white world)
8. Figures of speech-hyperbole, simile etc. used to describe Berry and their attitudes to him
9.
Foreshadowing-from the start, Mrs Osborn and Dr Renfield showed that
the suspected him so any wrong he did they would have punished...he
sensed that the place was fake and Dr Renfield was wicked and in the end
it all turned out true
