Analysis of James Patrick Kinney's The Cold Within
Thompson 1
Amari Thompson
Mrs. Christiansen
English 9H
2 March 2015
ColdHeartedness Leads Nowhere
People are quick to try and hurt one another and help themselves rather than try to help each other. James Patrick Kinney wrote a poem titled “The Cold Within” signifying how negativity within does not lead to greater gain. The theme of this poem questions what lengths some people would go in order to bring someone else down simply because of their differences.
Kinney uses multiple types of figurative language and poetic devices to help the reader understand the true meaning of this poem.
The poet specifically writes that six people were in this dilemma as almost if on purpose.
They were all stranded together around a dying fire. The only way to make things better would be to keep the fire going so that they may stay warm and live through the dark, cold night.
Keeping the fire lit would not be a problem since each person has possession of a stick of wood.
Yet, no one uses theirs because they do not want to help someone who is not like them.
However, treating others wrong not only hurts them, but it hinders the wrongdoers upcome also.
That is why, instead of everyone around the fire living, they each died a cold, pointless death.
The overall theme of this poem is to teach you that hatred not only hurts others can hurt yourself.
Being selfish is not the way to go.
The speaker in this poem is someone, maybe even the poet, who has been told the story before. They are passing on a lesson that was once taught to them. The tone is a bit serious as if a
Thompson 2
point is being made. Kinney uses chiasmus, form, and antithesis to emphasize the tone. In line
27, “Giving only to those who gave” is an example of chiasmus. Meaning that you give then you
can
Amari Thompson
Mrs. Christiansen
English 9H
2 March 2015
ColdHeartedness Leads Nowhere
People are quick to try and hurt one another and help themselves rather than try to help each other. James Patrick Kinney wrote a poem titled “The Cold Within” signifying how negativity within does not lead to greater gain. The theme of this poem questions what lengths some people would go in order to bring someone else down simply because of their differences.
Kinney uses multiple types of figurative language and poetic devices to help the reader understand the true meaning of this poem.
The poet specifically writes that six people were in this dilemma as almost if on purpose.
They were all stranded together around a dying fire. The only way to make things better would be to keep the fire going so that they may stay warm and live through the dark, cold night.
Keeping the fire lit would not be a problem since each person has possession of a stick of wood.
Yet, no one uses theirs because they do not want to help someone who is not like them.
However, treating others wrong not only hurts them, but it hinders the wrongdoers upcome also.
That is why, instead of everyone around the fire living, they each died a cold, pointless death.
The overall theme of this poem is to teach you that hatred not only hurts others can hurt yourself.
Being selfish is not the way to go.
The speaker in this poem is someone, maybe even the poet, who has been told the story before. They are passing on a lesson that was once taught to them. The tone is a bit serious as if a
Thompson 2
point is being made. Kinney uses chiasmus, form, and antithesis to emphasize the tone. In line
27, “Giving only to those who gave” is an example of chiasmus. Meaning that you give then you
can