The Writer by Richard Wilbur Essay - 901 Words

The Writer by Richard Wilbur On order to effectively analyze â€Å"The Writer,† one might look to the Advanced Placement format, for instance, to best understand the meaning of Wilbur’s poem. Some questions we might ask as a basis for analysis are as follows: 1. Who is the speaker in the poem? In â€Å"The Writer,† the speaker is likely Wilbur speaking about his daughter. 2. Who is the audience of the poem? The poem seems to be directed toward parents who might relate to Wilbur as they watch their children grow up. Likewise, the poem might also be directed at young people, who will inevitably undergo a journey similar to that of Wilbur’s daughter in the poem – fraught with many ups and downs, and hopefully the triumph that the†¦show more content†¦6. Comment on the poem’s diction. How does this relate to tone? Wilbur is widely recognized for embracing the attitude of those such as Frost, using common diction and concise, imagery-filled poems. In this poem he references common objects that working people would understand — for example, comparing the sound of a typewriter to a chain hauled over a gunwale. 7. Is imagery dominant? Explain. Wilbur makes frequent use of imagery in â€Å"The Writer.† He uses metaphors extensively – for instance, calling â€Å"the stuff / Of her life is †¦ great cargo, †¦ some of it heavy†. The whole second half of the poem is one giant extended metaphor! Wilbur compares the difficulties of growing up those of an ‘iridescent creature’ – a ‘dazed starling’ that in spite of difficulties, ultimately flies free. It serves as a metaphor for life’s ups and downs. 7. Is the poem narrative or lyric? The poem seems to be narrative. It conveys not only a story about his daughter, but a story of life, and paints distinctive images in the reader’s mind. 9. Comment on figurative language. To me, this poem is an extended metaphor for life journeys. Wilbur’s daughter is undergoing not only the experience of writing– along with its frustrations and â€Å"heavy cargo† – but is experiencing life with some difficulties along the way. The Gift by Li-Young Lee This poem is about theShow MoreRelatedWatching Your Child Grow989 Words   |  4 PagesRichard Wilbur’s â€Å"The Writer† as well as â€Å"High School Senior† by Sharon Olds, are two poems that focus on the growth of someone’s child as person. The narrator in â€Å"The Writer† speaks about watching his daughter explore the freedoms associated with growing up as she writes a story. In â€Å"High School Senior† the speaker describes her feelings as her daughter prepares to leave for college, and describes the eternal bond the two share. 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