Comparing Those Winter Sundays 'And' We Real Cool

“Those Winter Sundays” is technically a sonnet as it has 14 lines, however, it does not rhyme and is not in iambic pentameter. Nevertheless, sonnets are frequently identified as an expression of love and although “Those Winter Sundays” describes a love a father shows his children, it shares this commonality. In contrast, “We Real Cool” is broken in four stanzas, each containing a two line couplet. The rhyme is in the middle of the couplet not the end like many traditional poems giving readers a sense of continuity as the poem flows from line to line. As a result, the line never seems to end and the poem maintains a fast pace. Secondly, Hayden utilizes adjectives and complex vocabulary to create a beautiful piece of work. His use of commas and transitional words helps the poem flow smoothly from line to line as the sentences do not necessarily end with the line. On the other hand, “We Real Cool” contains simple, short words to keep up a quick pace and create a snappy, chant-like feel. Additionally, she …show more content…
Her curiosity peeks through in her work, although it is written more from the minds of the group. It is written as if they are chanting together; it reads quite like a statement of their rebellion against society and social expectations. Brooks uses the word “we” to indicate that they identify as a group rather than individuals, thus creating a sense comradery. In contrast, “Those Winter Sundays” is written from the point of view of a child who is most likely now grown as he recounts Sunday mornings at his home. His father made a distinct effort to show love to his children by polishing their shoes and warming the home but boy is unreceptive and is not moved by this. The tone is more angry and dismissive than Brooks curious and lighthearted poem. Similarly, both show readers inside the minds of young adults and how they view the