Comparative Literary Analysis
Robert Frost once said, "Poetry is when an emotion has found its thoughts and the thought has found words." This quote is especially true when it comes to "Birthday" by M. T. Buckley and "The Secret Life of Books" by Stephen Edgar. Poetry is a form of communication that does not have just one interpretation. Every author speaks with their own personal signature, using particular literary devices. In both poems, the authors use diction, extended metaphor, and structure to help convey the hidden meanings behind their literature.
M. T. Buckley's diction has a key role in his poem. For example, the lines "Geronimo. I jumped into the world. No parachute. Bootless" (M. T. Buckley "Birthday") have multiple illustrations of his specific word choice. His word choice helps to convey a precise tone that he wants his readers to sense as they read the piece. "Geronimo" is a common phrase shouted by paratroopers when jumping out of aircraft. If he had used any other word in place of that, the poem might have a completely different connotation. Also, the word “jumped” instead of “came” or “was born” gives the piece a specific mood. Stephen …show more content…
“They have their stratagems too, though they can’t move” (Edgar “The Secret Life of Books”). Although he talks about books as if they literally are scheming and changing the world, there is a deeper meaning behind it. Stephen Edgar probably wrote this piece in order to explain how the authors of the books indirectly affect the readers. He personifies the books to compare them to the writers behind the stories. Similarly, in “Birthday,” Buckley wrote the whole thing as an extended metaphor. “Falling into enemy territory…82nd Newborn, ha ha…Sentenced me to life” (Buckley “Birthday”). He wrote the poem as if writing about World War II, but in reality, he was referring to a baby being born. His poem compared life to a
Robert Frost once said, "Poetry is when an emotion has found its thoughts and the thought has found words." This quote is especially true when it comes to "Birthday" by M. T. Buckley and "The Secret Life of Books" by Stephen Edgar. Poetry is a form of communication that does not have just one interpretation. Every author speaks with their own personal signature, using particular literary devices. In both poems, the authors use diction, extended metaphor, and structure to help convey the hidden meanings behind their literature.
M. T. Buckley's diction has a key role in his poem. For example, the lines "Geronimo. I jumped into the world. No parachute. Bootless" (M. T. Buckley "Birthday") have multiple illustrations of his specific word choice. His word choice helps to convey a precise tone that he wants his readers to sense as they read the piece. "Geronimo" is a common phrase shouted by paratroopers when jumping out of aircraft. If he had used any other word in place of that, the poem might have a completely different connotation. Also, the word “jumped” instead of “came” or “was born” gives the piece a specific mood. Stephen …show more content…
“They have their stratagems too, though they can’t move” (Edgar “The Secret Life of Books”). Although he talks about books as if they literally are scheming and changing the world, there is a deeper meaning behind it. Stephen Edgar probably wrote this piece in order to explain how the authors of the books indirectly affect the readers. He personifies the books to compare them to the writers behind the stories. Similarly, in “Birthday,” Buckley wrote the whole thing as an extended metaphor. “Falling into enemy territory…82nd Newborn, ha ha…Sentenced me to life” (Buckley “Birthday”). He wrote the poem as if writing about World War II, but in reality, he was referring to a baby being born. His poem compared life to a