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It helps dignify the seriousness of the situation, as if death was leading the people on, wanting them to come. Death is not really alive nor does it have hands. Additionally, the poem uses a metaphor of people trapped and alone, together. It shows how the world can really be. Instead of giving a tale of true life experiences, Kinney creates a poem summarizing the different types of people and how differences can get in the way. Further, imagery is used in the poem. The author writes “In dark and bitter cold” (l.2). This line uses synaesthesia with visual and tactile attributes. Lines 78,
“She notices one was black” appeals to the visual senses. It creates an image of a circle of people and one being AfricanAmerican. Line 10 “saw one not of his church” also appeals to visual senses as does line 13, “The third one sat in tattered clothes”. Line 22, “As the fire passes from
Thompson …show more content…
The poet’s use of sound devices helps show how quickly sin can ‘kill you’.
There are many uses of allegories and symbols in this poem. For example, the fire represents the general goals of society as a whole. Keeping it lit is just like how people keep each other and the world going. Additionally, each stick of wood represents each individual's potential to benefit society. However, no one helps society, the fire, nor the people within it. In line 29 it says “The logs held tight in death’s still hands”. The words ‘held tight’ emphasize on how each person was not willing to let go of their differences and assist one another. Further, in lines 12 it says “Six humans trapped by happenstance/ In dark and bitter cold” meaning that each person in the poem supposedly ended up in the same situation as if by accident. The use of ‘trapped’ and
‘dark and bitter cold’ helps show that it was not a good situation and that they did not want to be
Thompson 4
there. The persona says ‘six humans’ as if they were specific people, but it actually refers
“She notices one was black” appeals to the visual senses. It creates an image of a circle of people and one being AfricanAmerican. Line 10 “saw one not of his church” also appeals to visual senses as does line 13, “The third one sat in tattered clothes”. Line 22, “As the fire passes from
Thompson …show more content…
The poet’s use of sound devices helps show how quickly sin can ‘kill you’.
There are many uses of allegories and symbols in this poem. For example, the fire represents the general goals of society as a whole. Keeping it lit is just like how people keep each other and the world going. Additionally, each stick of wood represents each individual's potential to benefit society. However, no one helps society, the fire, nor the people within it. In line 29 it says “The logs held tight in death’s still hands”. The words ‘held tight’ emphasize on how each person was not willing to let go of their differences and assist one another. Further, in lines 12 it says “Six humans trapped by happenstance/ In dark and bitter cold” meaning that each person in the poem supposedly ended up in the same situation as if by accident. The use of ‘trapped’ and
‘dark and bitter cold’ helps show that it was not a good situation and that they did not want to be
Thompson 4
there. The persona says ‘six humans’ as if they were specific people, but it actually refers