High Holy Day Poem Analysis

In the “High Holy Days” by Jane Shore we delve into the world of faith and doubt seen through the eyes of a child. In the poem, we see the child mature into an adult and along the way, realize that she is the “Chosen One.” Through the use of diction, tone, imagery and the speaker we see the child come to the realization that it is her responsibility as the “Chosen One” to free her people from anti-Semitism. The writer maintains neutral diction to reflect appropriateness on religious ideals. Throughout the poem, the neutral diction provides insight on the speaker’s feelings. As she says, “It was hot. A size too large, my wool winter suit scratched”, she shows how she is bothered by the heat and uncomfortable. While the speaker is deliberately …show more content…
The speaker gives details like "alabaster satin jackets," "two silver crowns," and "the red bulb." By recalling these detailed images, the speaker revives the emotions she felt at the time. The speaker then uses imagery from the bible to effectively create metaphors. In creating biblical metaphors the speaker allows the reader to experience her religious awakening. As she writes, “ the shul’s broken window bled sunlight on the congregation; the Red Sea of the scarlet carpet parted the women from the men…,” this biblical metaphor helps the reader visualize various instances of "Jew-hating" behavior, especially by glass-breaking. She also uses biblical metaphors like the Second Temple of Jerusalem and at Jericho to show Jewish expressions of strength. The speaker uses a strong biblical metaphor as the “Chosen One” to demonstrate the immense responsibility she has to free the Jews from Anti-Semitism just as the Israelites were freed from the Egyptians by Moses. As the speaker discovers her intense will to be a sacrifice for her people, she concentrates on painting imagery full of blood as she mentions “red rain”, “spattering blood”, and “red bulb”. The poem closes with a vivid image of the speaker being, “spat like Jonah from the whale back into the Jew-hating world.” This biblical metaphor of Jonah and the whale paints a clear purpose for the speaker to not resist what God is calling her