In this short paragraph i would like to talk about a particular device and its effect within the poem. The poem i will be talking about is out of the blue by simon armitage. In this poem the man talking is an english worker in the north tower of the world trade centre when it was under attack in 2001. The device i have selected to talk about is the use of talking in the first person. Many poems contain this device because a lot of poets express personal emotions, opinions, story and subjects however in this poem this is not the case because the poet didn’t experience this ordeal. Talking in the first person can also make the reader more engaged and can picture exactly what is going on because they can make a relation as if it’s them. In this particular poem the poet switches between first and second person. For example ‘I am still breathing’ and ‘are your eyes believing’. The example shown is a very clever device being as the poet would say something and ask you the question after to ensure your thinking and understanding what is going on. To conclude talking in the first person within poetry can help understanding, keep the reader engaged, tell if its a personal subject, emotion or story etc and shows who the speaker is.
November 20, 2012 at 10:14 pm
Jack,
I’m very impressed with the degree to which you have explained the entire poem and its context before delving into the feature of language that you chose to analyse. This is excellent, and important, in developing your writing.
You have also successfully explained the purpose and effect of the use of the first person (and it’s called the second person when he writes ‘are your eyes believing”).
A way to develop this further is to expand on the pathos of the fact that as readers of this poem we have knowledge of what happened to the people trapped in the Twin Towers that day. This is a form of dramatic irony because we as readers know something that the character in the poem does not yet acknowledge.
Good work – I think you’re going to have a great time with this poetry study!
Mr Waugh
November 22, 2012 at 5:46 pm
Thanks