1. Alliteration – Alliteration is repetition of the same letter or sound in a line. In the poem alliteration occurs in the lines “black braids” and “prude-pink.”
2. Repetition- Repetition is a literary device in which a word, phrase, or line is repeated for emphasis or effect. The words “not” and “no” are repeated multiple times. This is done to emphasize the rules that tell a girl what she should and should not do.
3. Anaphora- anaphora is when a phrase is repeated in a stanza. In the poem, the word “Don’t” is repeated at the beginning of every line in the first stanza. In the third stanza, the poet repeated the word “that” in the beginning of every line.
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 “tempest” and “calm seas” to highlight that the girl will grow older and learn how to navigate the societal norms.
5. Apostrophe- apostrophe is when the speaker in the poem directly addresses the listener or the reader. Apostrophe is used in the entire poem as the the speaker is directly addressing the young girl who is listening as “you”.
6. Epigram- epigram is a short phrase or saying in the last lines of the poem which express the idea of the poem. The last line of the poem expresses the central concept of the poem, i.e. it doesn’t matter if the girl survives the young years and reaches adulthood, the pressure from the patriarchal society will be ever present.
7. Enjambment – enjambment is when the line is continued onto the next line without any pause. In the poem, the poet uses enjambment to internally connect the stanzas and themes within the poem.

The Survivor Summary