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  1. The poem explores the themes of family, especially the relationship between a father and a son. The poem narrates an encounter between the poet and his father. This memory highlights the lesson taught by his father to him. It also puts the emphasis on the role of his father in his life. The poem alsRead more

    The poem explores the themes of family, especially the relationship between a father and a son. The poem narrates an encounter between the poet and his father. This memory highlights the lesson taught by his father to him. It also puts the emphasis on the role of his father in his life. The poem also talks about the themes of passing down of familial and cultural traditions and the grief experienced after the loss of a family member.

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  1. The poem revolves around the central themes of family, particularly the relationship between a father and a son. It recounts a significant encounter between the poet and his father, underscoring the valuable lesson imparted by the father and emphasizing his crucial role in the poet's life. AdditionaRead more

    The poem revolves around the central themes of family, particularly the relationship between a father and a son. It recounts a significant encounter between the poet and his father, underscoring the valuable lesson imparted by the father and emphasizing his crucial role in the poet’s life. Additionally, the poem delves into the significance of passing down familial and cultural traditions, shedding light on the grief that accompanies the loss of a family member. Overall, the central idea revolves around the profound impact of familial connections, the lessons learned from one’s elders, and the emotional weight of preserving and mourning familial traditions.

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  1. Hyperbole- hyperbole is the use of exaggeration in a poem. In this poem, the poet exaggerates the pain from the splinter in the lines “the iron sliver I thought I’d die from” and “Metal that will bury me.” Simile- simile is used when the poet directly compares one thing to another by using the wordsRead more

    1. Hyperbole- hyperbole is the use of exaggeration in a poem. In this poem, the poet exaggerates the pain from the splinter in the lines “the iron sliver I thought I’d die from” and “Metal that will bury me.”
    2. Simile- simile is used when the poet directly compares one thing to another by using the words “as” or “like”. In this poem, the poet uses simile in the lines “Watch as I lift the splinter out” and “took my hand like this.”
    3. Symbolism- symbolism is when the poet uses words to symbolize a concept, person or idea in a poem. In this poem, the poet symbol,uses his father’s hands as “two measures of tenderness” and “the flames of discipline.”
    4. Metaphor- metaphor is used when the poet makes an undercut comparison between two things without using the words “like” or “as”. In the, the poet compares the voice of his father to “well of dark water”.
    5. Imagery- imagery is the use of words by a poet to paint a picture in the minds of the reader. Imagery can be of various types; tactile, olfactory, auditory, gustatory and visual. In this poem, the poet makes use of tactile imagery to paint the picture of a metal splinter stuck in his hand.
    6. Enjambment – enjambment is when the line is continued onto the next line without any pause. In the poem, the poet uses enjambment to form an internal connection within the poem.
    7. Personification- personification is used when the poet gives human-like qualities to non-human objects. The poem personifies the metallic splinter in the line “Metal that will bury me” and he also personifies death in the line “Death visited here!”

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  1. The poem revolves around the themes of family, tradition, and death. Initially, the poem emphasizes the joy of togetherness through family traditions, especially around meals. The sense of happiness is woven into these lines. However, in the latter part, the focus shifts to the theme of death, partiRead more

    The poem revolves around the themes of family, tradition, and death. Initially, the poem emphasizes the joy of togetherness through family traditions, especially around meals. The sense of happiness is woven into these lines. However, in the latter part, the focus shifts to the theme of death, particularly the speaker’s father. Metaphors depict death as a desolate “snow-covered road” devoid of life. The poet uses this poem to convey a deep sense of loss by referencing his father’s recent passing with the words, “the way my father did/ weeks ago.”

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  1. The poem weaves together the ideas of familial connection, tradition, and the contemplation of death. The act of preparing food becomes a bridge between past and present, and the portrayal of death as a solitary journey adds a layer of reflection on the inevitable solitude that accompanies the end oRead more

    The poem weaves together the ideas of familial connection, tradition, and the contemplation of death. The act of preparing food becomes a bridge between past and present, and the portrayal of death as a solitary journey adds a layer of reflection on the inevitable solitude that accompanies the end of life. The preparation of food emerges as a powerful symbol, acting as a bridge that spans across generations, linking the past with the present.

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  1. Asyndeton- asyndeton is the deliberate omission of conjunction from a sentence. In the lines “brother, sister, my mother” the poet omits the use of a conjunction in order to maintain the rhythm and flow of the poem. Insinuation- insinuation is the use of a hint or a suggestion given in order to indiRead more

    1. Asyndeton– asyndeton is the deliberate omission of conjunction from a sentence. In the lines “brother, sister, my mother” the poet omits the use of a conjunction in order to maintain the rhythm and flow of the poem.
    2. Insinuation- insinuation is the use of a hint or a suggestion given in order to indicate an unpleasant idea. In the poem, the poet uses the line “Then he lay down/ to sleep like a snow-covered road” to insinuate the idea of the passing away of his father.
    3. Alliteration – Alliteration is repetition of the same letter or sound in a line. In the poem the poet uses alliteration in the lines “seasoned with silver”, “my mother” and “head,/ holding.”
    4. Simile- simile is used when the poet directly compares one thing to another by using the words “as” or “like”. In this poem, the poet uses simile in the lines “to sleep like a snow-covered road” and “winding through pines older than him.”
    5. Enjambment – enjambment is when the line is continued onto the next line without any pause. In the poem, the poet uses enjambment to create an internal connection within the poem. The use of enjambment helps the poet to maintain the connection of the themes within the lines.

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  1. This poem has a myriad of poetic devices, some of which are as follows: Metaphor: Referring to the metal splinter as ‘Little Assasin’ acts as a metaphor in the poem. Also, the persona’s voice is referred to as ‘a well/ of dark water, a prayer’. Apostrophe: The persona directly addressing the readerRead more

    This poem has a myriad of poetic devices, some of which are as follows:

    • Metaphor: Referring to the metal splinter as ‘Little Assasin’ acts as a metaphor in the poem. Also, the persona’s voice is referred to as ‘a well/ of dark water, a prayer’.
    • Apostrophe: The persona directly addressing the reader with the usage of the word ‘you’ serves to be an apostrophe in the poem.
    • Personification: In the poem, ‘Death’ is personified with the capitalization of the letter D.

     

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  1. The central idea of the poem is childhood. The fears and happiness of the persona when they were a child and how it impacted their later life are revealed through the poem.   The Gift Summary

    The central idea of the poem is childhood. The fears and happiness of the persona when they were a child and how it impacted their later life are revealed through the poem.

     

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