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  1. In this phrase, the literary device used is called apostrophe. It is not the apostrophe (punctuation mark i.e. '). It is a figure of speech and a type of metaphor in which the poet addresses a person who is either absent from the scene or dead. In the poem, the poet is addressing the little boy whoRead more

    In this phrase, the literary device used is called apostrophe. It is not the apostrophe (punctuation mark i.e. ‘). It is a figure of speech and a type of metaphor in which the poet addresses a person who is either absent from the scene or dead. In the poem, the poet is addressing the little boy who is physically not present there.

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  1. Following literary devices have been used in the poem The Ball Poem: Personification: Personification is a finger of speech which shows attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something non-human. In the poem, the poet describes ball merrily bouncing down the street. Merry meansRead more

    Following literary devices have been used in the poem The Ball Poem:

    1. Personification: Personification is a finger of speech which shows attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something non-human. In the poem, the poet describes ball merrily bouncing down the street. Merry means happy. It is a human characteristic which is given to the ball.
    2. Metaphor: It is a literary device in which a word or phrase is symbolically applied to a thing to which it is not literally applicable. In the poem, poet says, “balls will be lost always“. Balls here symbolise possessions which we lose. It also refers to the childhood which if lost never comes back.
    3. Apostrophe: It is a literary device in which a person is addressed who is either dead or physically not present. In the poem, the poet says, “balls will be lost aways, little boy“. The boy is physically not present with the poet.
    4. Repetition: It is a literary device in which a word or phrase is repeated two or more times. In the poem the poet repeats the word “what” two lines. “what, what is he to do?”.
    5. Alliteration: It is the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. e.g. “whhas lost his ball”, “what, what is he to do?”, “no one buys a ball back”, “the deep and dark floor of harbour”, “move mmind and my heart move with all that move me”.
    6. Enjambment: It is the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza. e.g. “I saw it go merrily, down the street”
    7. Symbolism: It is the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. In the poem, ball and balls represent childhood, possessions and even the father of poet.

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  1. In the poem,  The Ball Poem, the lost ball is a symbol for lost childhood because it depicts innocence, attachment and something which if gone never returns back. The poet believes that childhood and its innocence cannot be bought with money. It is something that a person often thinks of and becomesRead more

    In the poem,  The Ball Poem, the lost ball is a symbol for lost childhood because it depicts innocence, attachment and something which if gone never returns back. The poet believes that childhood and its innocence cannot be bought with money. It is something that a person often thinks of and becomes sad.

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  1. In the poem The Ball Poem, balls signify the innocence of the young boy, his childhood and the sweet memories associated with it. Read summary of this poem.

    In the poem The Ball Poemballs signify the innocence of the young boy, his childhood and the sweet memories associated with it.

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  1. In the poem The Ball Poem, the phrase "world of possessions" means that every person in the world desires to possess the things. However they do not remain with us permanently. We must accept that and move on when we lose our dear things. Read summary of this poem.

    In the poem The Ball Poem, the phrase “world of possessions” means that every person in the world desires to possess the things. However they do not remain with us permanently. We must accept that and move on when we lose our dear things.

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  1. No, the boy never lost anything earlier because the pain and sorrow in his eyes while watching his ball gone into the river depict that he has never been in such a situation before. This is a new experience for him. He will now learn that we have to lose our dear things someday. Read summary of thisRead more

    No, the boy never lost anything earlier because the pain and sorrow in his eyes while watching his ball gone into the river depict that he has never been in such a situation before. This is a new experience for him. He will now learn that we have to lose our dear things someday.

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  1. The central idea of the poem The Ball Poem is that every person tries to possess things. He feels as if the things which he possess will always remain with him. However he has to lose them one day and bear the pain of its loss. A person gets attached to his possessions and thus when he loses them, hRead more

    The central idea of the poem The Ball Poem is that every person tries to possess things. He feels as if the things which he possess will always remain with him. However he has to lose them one day and bear the pain of its loss.

    A person gets attached to his possessions and thus when he loses them, he feels depressed and sorrowful. The poet says that we have to accept this harsh reality and also try to move on because it is useless to cry over spilt milk. We cannot bring back the things which we lose. So we should always move on.

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  1. Epistemology of loss is the study to learn the nature of loss. In this world of possession people do every action for the purpose of to get or to do possess something. No one perform any action without any selfishness.

    Epistemology of loss is the study to learn the nature of loss. In this world of possession people do every action for the purpose of to get or to do possess something. No one perform any action without any selfishness.

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  1. The poet does not offer money to the boy so that he may be able to buy a new ball because he (the poet) feels that it would be useless to buy him a new ball. The boy had an emotional attachment with the ball. He cannot have the same emotions with the new ball. We can buy new balls but not emotions aRead more

    The poet does not offer money to the boy so that he may be able to buy a new ball because he (the poet) feels that it would be useless to buy him a new ball. The boy had an emotional attachment with the ball. He cannot have the same emotions with the new ball. We can buy new balls but not emotions and attachment with money.

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  1. The boy is now mature. After losing his ball, he learnt a new lesson of the life i.e. we lose things some day which we possess. Hence the boy has learnt to face the reality and move on. Read summary of this poem.

    The boy is now mature. After losing his ball, he learnt a new lesson of the life i.e. we lose things some day which we possess. Hence the boy has learnt to face the reality and move on.

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