Facing It by Yusef Komunyakaa: Imagery, Symbolism and Allusion to Demonstrate Emotional Pain Caused by War
Facing It Outline
Jackson G
In the poem “Facing It”, the author Yusef Komunyakaa makes use of imagery, symbolism, and allusion to demonstrate the difficulty that veterans have dealing with the lingering emotional pain caused by war and how this causes them to have trouble facing reality.
In the beginning of the poem, the author uses imagery coupled with allusion and symbolism to illustrate how the speaker is conflicted by and reflecting on the memory of the war.
“My black face fades, hiding inside the black granite” Line 1-2 This symbol of black granite represents death and the loss that happened because of the war. The man is lost in the war and the horrors he faced there, as he is “faded” into the black granite.
“I'm stone. I'm flesh” Line 5. This use of imagery by the author helps the reader to understand the conflict that is occurring inside the man. He is both emotional and callous at the same time.
“My clouded reflection eyes me like a bird of prey” Line 6-7. This mention to the veteran’s reflection being a bird of prey is an allusion to the man having to be aware and on the lookout for enemies when he was in the war, much like birds of prey are aware of their prey when they are hunting.
In the middle of the poem, the author describes the constant reminders the speaker has of the war and the lingering effects it has using allusion, symbolism, and imagery.
“half-expecting to find my own in letters like smoke” 15-16 This is an example of symbolism used by the author to help the reader further understand the poem. Here, the symbolism of the letters in smoke represents how he still expects to see his name up there because he lost his peace of mind in the war, he is forever changed by the war and considers himself a casualty.
“I touch the name Andrew Johnson” Line 17. This allusion to someone the speaker knew further drives home the point the toll the that war takes. The man still remembers his lost friends and this further demonstrates the
Jackson G
In the poem “Facing It”, the author Yusef Komunyakaa makes use of imagery, symbolism, and allusion to demonstrate the difficulty that veterans have dealing with the lingering emotional pain caused by war and how this causes them to have trouble facing reality.
In the beginning of the poem, the author uses imagery coupled with allusion and symbolism to illustrate how the speaker is conflicted by and reflecting on the memory of the war.
“My black face fades, hiding inside the black granite” Line 1-2 This symbol of black granite represents death and the loss that happened because of the war. The man is lost in the war and the horrors he faced there, as he is “faded” into the black granite.
“I'm stone. I'm flesh” Line 5. This use of imagery by the author helps the reader to understand the conflict that is occurring inside the man. He is both emotional and callous at the same time.
“My clouded reflection eyes me like a bird of prey” Line 6-7. This mention to the veteran’s reflection being a bird of prey is an allusion to the man having to be aware and on the lookout for enemies when he was in the war, much like birds of prey are aware of their prey when they are hunting.
In the middle of the poem, the author describes the constant reminders the speaker has of the war and the lingering effects it has using allusion, symbolism, and imagery.
“half-expecting to find my own in letters like smoke” 15-16 This is an example of symbolism used by the author to help the reader further understand the poem. Here, the symbolism of the letters in smoke represents how he still expects to see his name up there because he lost his peace of mind in the war, he is forever changed by the war and considers himself a casualty.
“I touch the name Andrew Johnson” Line 17. This allusion to someone the speaker knew further drives home the point the toll the that war takes. The man still remembers his lost friends and this further demonstrates the