English Notes Latest Questions

  1. Imagery: Imagery is used to make the readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example, “When the sun is bright on the upland slopes”, “And the river flows like a stream of glass” and “I know why he beats his wing.” Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same liRead more

    1. Imagery: Imagery is used to make the readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example, “When the sun is bright on the upland slopes”, “And the river flows like a stream of glass” and “I know why he beats his wing.”
    2. Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line. For example, the sound of /o/ in “And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars” and the sound of /i/ in “I know why the caged bird beats his wing.”
    3. Simile: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between different persons and objects by using ‘like’ or ‘as’. For example, the flowing river is compared with the stream of glass in the fourth line, “And the river flows like a stream of glass.”
    4. Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quick succession. For example, the sounds of /h/ and /b/ in ‘When he beats his bars and he would be free’.
    5. Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings different from literal meanings. The caged bird symbolizes African Americans desperate for freedom from slavery. Cage stands for various tactics white people used to block their way to freedom.
    6. Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between the objects different in nature. There is an extended metaphor of a bird used in this poem. Here the caged bird is an entire African-American community in slavery.

    Sympathy Summary

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  1. Paul Laurence Dunbar's poem "Sympathy" is about having a deep knowledge of and empathy for individuals who are oppressed, limited, or marginalized. The poem examines issues of yearning for liberation, the lingering sorrow of imprisonment, and the determined human spirit in the face of difficulty thrRead more

    Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poem “Sympathy” is about having a deep knowledge of and empathy for individuals who are oppressed, limited, or marginalized. The poem examines issues of yearning for liberation, the lingering sorrow of imprisonment, and the determined human spirit in the face of difficulty through the metaphor of the caged bird. It emphasizes the desire for independence and the pursuit of a fulfilling life while also noting the psychological and physical damage that may be caused by confinement. The primary idea encourages the reader to consider the value of compassion and the necessity of social justice by focusing on the strength of empathy and the acknowledgment of common human experiences.

    Sympathy Summary

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  1. The primary themes of this poem are struggle, prejudice, and societal inequality. Throughout the poem, the trapped bird attempts and fails to obtain his freedom. Although he is captivated, he longs for the same freedom in his life as he observes his fellow birds playing in the wind. He bleeds and geRead more

    The primary themes of this poem are struggle, prejudice, and societal inequality. Throughout the poem, the trapped bird attempts and fails to obtain his freedom. Although he is captivated, he longs for the same freedom in his life as he observes his fellow birds playing in the wind. He bleeds and gets scars in the name of freedom, yet nothing happens. Dunbar illustrates the African American people’s unending suffering and dire position with the comparison of this little bird. Their wounds have healed into scars, unlike this bird. Even in daily life, they are denied their basic human rights and are imprisoned. They eventually fought for their rights after many years.

    Sympathy Summary

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  1. This poem is divided into three stanzas wherein the first has five lines, the second has four and the last has six. It follows the rhyme scheme ‘aabba aabc aabbac’. we wear the mask summary

    This poem is divided into three stanzas wherein the first has five lines, the second has four and the last has six. It follows the rhyme scheme ‘aabba aabc aabbac’.

    we wear the mask summary

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  1. This answer was edited.

    Refrain: “We wear the mask!” is the refrain that is repeated in the poem. Personification: The very first line of the poem ‘We wear the mask that grins and lies’ is an apt example where the mask is personified and given human attributes. Apostrophe: ‘O great Christ’ is an example of apostrophe whereRead more

    1. Refrain: “We wear the mask!” is the refrain that is repeated in the poem.
    2. Personification: The very first line of the poem ‘We wear the mask that grins and lies’ is an apt example where the mask is personified and given human attributes.
    3. Apostrophe: ‘O great Christ’ is an example of apostrophe where the persona directly addresses a plea to God.

    We wear the mask summary

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  1. The central idea of this poem is oppression. The poem details on how those who are marginalized face not just blatant oppression but the subtle kind as well, how they still do not proclaim their pain to the world and paint a picture of peace and happiness. We wear the mask summary

    The central idea of this poem is oppression. The poem details on how those who are marginalized face not just blatant oppression but the subtle kind as well, how they still do not proclaim their pain to the world and paint a picture of peace and happiness.

    We wear the mask summary

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