Harwood’s A Valediction raises the idea that as humans we change and develop over time and with age develop a new sense of maturity and contentment with life. In this poem Harwood moves from a literal experience and memory to pensive reflection in order to create a contrast between the younger and older persona. She begins by recounting her memories of the poet Donne whose poetry inspired and encouraged her as a child and helped her through the challenges…
In the poem “Hanging Fire” by Audre Lorde she displays identity and coming of age vividly through a fourteen year old. This teenager is rapidly searching for an identity within the consent and affection of others with an incredible fear of not making it. She is silently begging for the attention of her mother. No one is soothing the sensations that are consuming her, “what if I die before morning and momma’s in the bedroom with the door closed”. With no direction to kindle the motivation that is hardly there as it is, our character is waiting senselessly and fearfully to be knocked down by the wind of the physical and emotional insecurities she keeps close by.…
How does the author use figurative language to establish a tone of wonder in the first two paragraphs of the essay? Provide specific examples and explain how they provide the reader with a unique sense of the desert? Read line 26-49. How does this passage help develop a central idea of Kingsolver’s essay?…
Harwood has clearly articulated the concern for time passing by, and the loss of innocence that comes as a child gains experience, also reflecting the trademark interwoven Romantic style of her poetry. The structure of the poem further delves into this idea of the concern for time. The two symmetrical linked poems place emphasis on how time has moved on and separate childhood from adulthood. The constant use of enjambments reflect the passing of time and the ambiguity of where time disappears to in our vast existence. Harwood’s use of structure and language affirm her ability to transcend time throughout her work, further enhancing its capability to be accepted in different contexts and upholding its textual…
In this poetic memoir, Engle shares her memories “Enchanted Air: Two Culture, Two Win” of her childhood. She is a person who comes from two different cultures -- Cuba and California. In this quote, Engle describes her terrible, miserable school life in California. She uses three different adjectives to describe how bad she is, they are “long” “worried” and “broken”. These three adjectives show Engle has a really terrible state -- her “long braids” are stiff, she is ignorant with her “worried eyes”, and she does not care about her image with her “broken tooth”.…
In Into Thin Air by Jon Krakaeur, the author’s word choice of descriptive passages and vivid words help well understand his perspective. You see this whole story is written in perspective Jon Krakauer is a journalist by trade, and his motive for going on the Everest expedition is to write an article about the experience of climbing as part of a commercial expedition. The perspective is in the first person, but with a journalistic viewpoint. Krakauer often seems removed from the subject, describing events as objectively as possible, as one would expect in a journalistic article. For example, he is sometimes critical of his fellow climbers, even though elsewhere he describes…
“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.” - Lee Iacocca…
The term, “Coming of Age” has a variety of connotations ranging from a realization of one’s personal duty in life to a more harrowing observation about the harsh reality one has been hidden from while in the depths of his/her youth. While perhaps there are as many different conclusions reached about growing up as there are pieces of literature revolving around the subject, two works in particular offer transitional tales that depict vastly different narratives. Judith Ortiz Cofer in her poem, Quinceanera, presents a dark and literal use of language to portray a raw and reluctant journey to womanhood, while in “My Back Pages” Bob Dylan more frequently utilizes figurative language to relay a sense that the anger and resentment of his youth was…
The transition from childhood to adulthood is never easy. For the characters in Julia Alvarez’s book In the Time of the Butterflies and Elizabeth Nunez’s Bruised Hibiscus, the struggles to grow into one’s self are even starker in worlds of brutality and strife. As both works of historical fiction and coming-of-age narratives, these stories stray from the typical coming-of-age tropes and discuss topics of violence, rebellion, and the struggles women face in patriarchal dominated societies. In the Time of the Butterflies, the Mirabal sisters’ transition to womanhood is anything but easy. These women are confronted with the oppression regime of Rafael Trujillo,…
Flowing from Virginia Woolf’s poem “Memoirs of Being” is a beautiful piece of her childhood. This picture that has been created, is one that is filled with imagery, anaphora, and is an allusion to a time when her cares were not burdened in the way that they would become later in the poem. We can see that the piece is a picture of a time of youth. One that is not yet marred with the understanding of consequences. And a joy can be seen from start to finish, but her understanding of that joy experienced growth during this piece. Although, she doesn’t agree with her truly enjoys her trip, she finds that the joy experienced therein is one that is a ‘momentary glimpse’ of her childhood, and not one that would be repeated.…
In the Hispanic culture, one of the most common and well-known traditions is a Quinceañera. Going to another cultural event that is different from my own is very educational yet a rewarding experience. Some of the distinct elements that really put the event together are the experience of the event, the different phrases in that culture, verbal communication and cultural distinctiveness of the culture, and was able to understand how the Hispanic culture is different from traditional American culture.…
A short story ‘Eleven’ by Sandra Cisneros dwells upon the memories of an eleven-year-old girl that spends her birthday at school and gets into a discomforting situation with her teacher because of her lack of confidence. In spite of the multiple colloquial phrases and childish expressions, this is a very philosophical piece of writing. It touches upon such global and adult issues as experience, freedom, aging, life and death, knowledge and restrictions. The symbolism is very sophisticated here – under the veiled mask of a simple classroom occasion the writer sets multiple questions. Do people gather enough experience with age? What secret knowledge and power is revealed after each birthday? Can a simple life situation drive one at an older age more efficiently than real calendar time does? The complexity of an eleven-year-old girl (who is almost a teenager, by the way) is derived from the first-person style of narration. The author tries to hide her real wisdom and age through the expressions like “little animal noises” but it still seems not convincing because so many serious questions are being asked in each paragraph of the story. She is very capable in understanding her own emotions and thoughts – an ability that is not very typical for such a young age is eleven. Her descriptions of the surrounding world are very clear and comprehensive; the usage of metaphors is quite mature in spite of the phrasing.…
As a shy teenage girl with two left feet and a fear of dancing in public, I felt that dancing at a friend’s quinceanera as a member of her court of honor was going to be the worst experience of my life. After my mother gave me the news that she had volunteered me to be a dama de honor, I immediately complained about having to dance with a group of strangers for 5 months in preparation for the dance performance in front of about 200 people. For the first month I reluctantly attended every practice, and the most communication I had with the rest of the court members were a few mumbles once in a while. But as the day of the quinceanera approached, I became more comfortable with the other members of the court and even befriended some of them. I…
It's tradition to have a quinceañera when a girl turns fifteen in the Hispanic culture. The reason for that is to celebrate the coming of womanhood and maturity. Well it's beem like that over a long period of time, and even though that tradition is still happening today, the purpose of that tradition has pretty much faded.…
Though automation differs drastically it is crucial to understand previous technological revolutions that have altered the occupational landscape. The reason for this is that the current landscape is the result of the totality of human progress. Every advancement throughout our history has led up to a society that is essentially already being operated by self-taught machines. Though the historical instances may seem to have no place in the discussion, it is the baby steps humanity has taken that have resulted in a technologically advanced world we see today.…