Chrysanthemum Ti

A compilation of elegant word choice and syntax, “The Sun and Moon” is a poem written by author Chrysanthemum Ti. In this poem, Ti develops a story, told in a first person point of view, which illustrates both the gradual resentment and contentment felt by the narrator as she compares her successes and failures to those of her brother. In creating this tale, Ti utilizes a shift in tone as well as two significant metaphors to suggest that with time, perceptions change, which can allow for a greater understanding of and respect for a scenario.
In establishing the transition over time from one viewpoint to another, Ti utilizes a dramatic shift in tone. As the narrator wraps up her discussion of her woes on her brother’s outstanding daily performances
Beginning the delve into the gradual change in perspective, Ti proclaims, “If you’re the sun, I’m the moon / Because when you rise, I fall” (Ti 1-2). Ti utilizes the nature of the relationship between the sun and the moon as a metaphor for the conflict between the narrator and her brother. The narrator feels that when her brother succeeds, her own success and recognition is at stake. Mirroring the emergence of the sun and retreat of the moon each morning, when her brother sets out to master the day, the narrator feels that she is thrown back into the depths. The usage of the sun as an object eternally greater than the moon and forever outshining it is utilized here not only as a metaphor, but as the narrator’s basic, inceptive view of her relationship with her brother. This perception, fueled by competitiveness and jealousy, is the narrator’s early, naive one; it is the first viewpoint made clear in the poem and is a negative, complaining approach. Time has not passed and circumstances have not changed for the narrator as she views the world with this outlook, indicating that as time progresses, as will her view of her relationship with her
After having laid out her complaints about the good fortunes of her brother and the benefits he receives, the narrator suddenly sees another side to the sun-moon relationship. She declares, “If you’re the sun, then I’m the moon / Because without you, no one could ever see my illuminating glow / We were both destined to conquer at different times- I just couldn’t see it until it was my turn” (Ti 13-15). Utilizing a different facet of the character of the sun-moon relationship, Ti uses the boons the sun provides the moon with as a metaphor for the advantages the narrator’s brother provides her with. The narrator’s brother, who was previously depicted as successful and greedy as the sun, is now shown as being an essential part of the narrator’s prides and achievements. Diverging from her original standpoint, the narrator now understands the positivity within the sun-moon relationship and can apply it to her own relationship with her brother. Her view has now matured to a point where she can see the full situation, not only snippets that place her at a disadvantage. The narrator no longer feels bound by the pressing excellence of her brother; instead, she respects him and his ability to perform while in the spotlight, as she aspires to do now. Because her realization occurs as she finally settles in and accepts her