Ramesh 1

Sruthi Ramesh
Mr. Mills
12AP
December 22, 2014
Creative Annotated Bibliography
Achebe, Chinua. Marriage is a Private Affair. 1972. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and
Drama Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 373-377. Print.
To an extent, I picked Marriage is a Private Affair, because I had an idea of what it was
about, and for the most part I was right. What I found interesting about the text was the
universality of the essence of the plot. The story seems to represent the age old struggle
between ancient cultures and modern values. There really is nothing about the story that
makes it inherently African other than the names of the people and cities. In contrast to
the other pieces of fiction in this section, this piece really does fit the title World
Fiction in that it embodies an idea shared by the whole world. Its interesting how in
both this piece and in Things Fall Apart, Achebe uses the idea of African culture to draw
readers in and ultimately present them a plot that we see in our daily lives. Honestly, I
thought it was a little scary how well I could relate to the main character of Marriage is a
Private Affair and how easily I could replace the storys community with my own.
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor, 1994. Print.
After reading this book, I realized something about myself as a reader that I guess has
always existed to an extent, but Ive never really fully taken the time to appreciate. I
dont let myself feel anything about the plot or characters until the book is done. Once the
book is done though, an onslaught of feeling and emotions come pouring in. When I

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finished reading Things Fall Apart, I felt that onslaught and my hand itched for a pen
and paper to write everything down, but before I could even start reading, I realized that I
hadnt felt any emotions during some of the saddest/most infuriating parts of the book.
For example, when Okonkwo killed Ikemefuma, I distinctly remembered saying a
monotone, Oh, and just kept reading. How could someone read that without any
emotion (granted I did feel the weight of the injustice after I finished reading the book)?
However, reflecting on that, not feeling Ikemefumas death allowed me to focus on
Okonkwos character as a whole and not just his vice(s), and this same perspective
allowed me to look at the culture clash as a neutral bystander and not passionate
supporter of one side or the other. I suppose that this makes me an objective reader, but
isnt part of the reading experience derived from the readers feelings and how those
feelings change? I suppose, my balance lies in that while reading I know what emotions
Im supposed to feel, but choose not to feel them. Its almost as though I read as two
different people, a person who feels and a person who simply observes. Ever since I came
to this conclusion after reading Things Fall Apart, Ive been able to consciously go back
and forth between the two people, which is, for the most part, helpful.
Berninger, Matt, Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Bryan Devendorf, and Scott Devendorf.
Bloodbuzz Ohio. The National. The National, 2010. MP3.
To be honest, I kinda enjoyed analyzing this poem for the literary criticism quiz. I really
didnt get the idea of deconstructive criticism until I started applying their perspective in
this poem. It clicked for me when I saw the word bloodbuzz, because blood is a fairly
versatile symbol -- it could symbolize youth or old age. So with that ambiguous symbol
at the heart of the song, the entire meaning of the song becomes ambiguous, which is

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pretty much what the deconstructive school of criticism says. I thought one line of this
song in particular was perfect -- I still owe money to the money to the money I owe.
This one line either could apply to a young person who has borrowed money to enjoy life
and doesn't really care, or could apply to an old man who has borrowed lots of money
and feels terrible that he hasnt repaid his debts. After analyzing the song, I felt a closer
connection to it and was able to appreciate the ambiguity in the song.
Bhagat, Chetan. Five Point Someone. New Delhi: Rupa, 2004. Print.
This book, to me, was the final step in bridging the gap between the two places I come
from. Five Point Someone was written by an Indian author, for an Indian audience, filled
with cultural references that I was afraid Id get lost in. However, the book surprised me
in that it was no more difficult to read than any other book that Id been reading that the
time. I have read some other Indian books since, and none have been completely out of
my league. When I went back and re-read it this year, I found that there was so much
more depth to the comedy in the book than Id initially thought. A lot of the comedy was
based off the main characters inability to fit in and their ways of coping; I think, in a
way, after re-reading the book Ive become closer to the characters and to the book as a
whole.
Bishop, Elizabeth. First Death in Nova Scotia. 1965. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and
Drama Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 794-795. Print.
I really liked this poem, but I cant figure out why exactly. The adults reminiscent, childlike tone appealed to me as did the simple diction that went along with the tone. I think
what I liked the most was the use of just two color to convey most of the poems
meaning. The fact that colors were used so much seemed to reflect the fact that the

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speaker was reflecting on his childhood, and really brought out the innocence in the
childs perspective. However, the fact that both colors -- white and red -- were portrayed
as good and bad emphasized the adult speaker and the influence of her contemplation on
her memory of the experience. I really appreciated that duality in the seemingly simple
narration and the way this duality was reflected in the imagery. The image of the animal
head mounted on the wall next to the picture of royalty especially stuck to me for the
contrasts inherent in the descriptions of each.
Blake, William. A Poison Tree. 1794. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama Ed.
Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 807-808. Print.
I really enjoyed the imagery in this poem and how that imagery had solid, unmistakable
connotations and meanings. The description of the growth and the nurturing of the tree
was very rich, but the underlying malicious tone is what made the simple imagery
become so complex and meaningful. The simple and rather matter-of-fact tone made it
very easy to relate to the speaker even though the speakers actions arent necessarily
ones that people would like to be associated with/associate themselves with. Overall, I
enjoyed this poem because it was a lot like a children's nursery rhyme and conveyed a
pretty intense message with a very light-hearted mood with undertones of seriousness that
I dont think a child would perceive, but were pretty obvious when I read it.
Browning, Robert. My Last Duchess. 1842. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama
Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 781-782. Print.
The two main emotions I felt while reading this poem were confusing at first, and then
outrage. What is most interesting about this poem to me is how important the tone and
diction are in inspiring those emotions. The diction is very formal and controlled at first

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which didnt allow me to come to any solid conclusion as to what the speaker was talking
about. However, as the poem progressed and the diction started to become less
controlled, the tone became more violent and angry and I was able to figure out what the
speaker was implying, which outraged me. On the whole, its the diction and tone that got
me to interact with the poem rather than imagery, which usually sways me the most. It
was interesting to be affected (unexpectedly) by two literary elements that I normally take
for granted.
Byron. George, So well go no more a-rovin. Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web.
22 December 2014.
When I read this poem for the first time, it seemed like it was a poem about death and
doing something meaningful with your life. However, after reading it a couple times, I
felt as though it could also be about taking a break from love. The poems meaning
changes depending on how you view the speaker. When I first read it, I thought he was
old and so the poems meaning seemed to revolve around death. However, when I read it
later and considered the possibility that the speaker might be younger, the theme seemed
to be more centered on love. Its hard to determine what the poet was really referring to
when he wrote the poem. To me, the most important part of trying to find a
meaning/theme for this poem was acknowledging the fact that two different ones existed
and going from there and that mindset really helped me dissect this poem for deeper
meanings.
Chopin, Kate. The Storm. 1898. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama Ed. Robert
DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 477-481. Print.

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Having read a Chopin story before, what struck me in this story was the title and how
well it fit with the author's way of playing on the readers expectations. When I saw the
title The Storm, the first thing that came to my mind was the phrase "the calm before the
storm" and I read the story with that phrase at the back of my mind. Though I was
expecting some sort of unconventional ending, to some extent I was also expecting the
story to follow a storm's pattern -- start off slow, intensify and end in destruction.
Instead, however, the story started off with simmering tension and ended calm, with the
"storm" making things better rather than worse. I thought it was interesting how that one
word led me to draw conclusions about the entire story, despite consciously trying not to
draw any conclusions about the story.
Chopin, Kate. The Story of an Hour. 1894. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama Ed.
Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 38-41. Print.
The foreshadowing in Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour" really got to me. The subtle
hints, like the area outside the window her "paralyzed inability to accept its significance",
and sudden, wild abandonment, were things that I appreciated for their literal values
(especially the imagery) but once I read the analyzation it all clicked. When I went back
and read the story after analyzing the individual parts, the story itself had more dimension
and depth. It was almost like watching and re-watching a scary movie -- everything made
more sense afterward.
Christie, Agatha. Sleeping Murder. New York: Dodd, Mead, 1976. Print.
I got this book for my 14th birthday after my mom remembered that I liked Agatha
Christie books, but forgot that I liked her Hercule Poirot series. But I was intrigued by
this book nonetheless and it didnt disappoint. It lived up to Poirot, but replaced his stoic

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and rather cold manner with Mrs. Marples female touch that emphasized human faults.
I went back and read this book over Thanksgiving because it was one of the shorter
Christie novels that I had, and it didnt fail to surprise me with more nuances that Id
missed when I read it the first time. This story has so much more of an emphasis on
human emotions and motives, which makes the plot seem more predictable, but ends up
making it more convoluted. Though in my mind, Poirot will always be superior to other
protagonists in mystery novels, Mrs. Marple will hold a special place in my heart for her
endearing and more human ways of getting to the bottom of a crime.
Clifton, Lucielle. Homage to My Hips 1972. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama
Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 1084. Print.
I really appreciated how unadorned the language of this poem was. That simple language
really seemed to fit the idea of freedom and independence reflected in the poem. Beyond
that, the free-form of the poem, though disconcerting at first, was really refreshing and
allowed the symbolic meaning of the hips to stand out. Though the meaning of the poem
was fairly common, the way in which it was presented (with hips) made it stand out.
However, what I thought was more interesting was the effect of connotation of the word
hips on the meaning of the poem itself. Though the poem itself seems to indicate that
the hips are a symbol of the individual, the connotation of the word made the poem seem
slightly feminist and also evoked contemporary ideas of body image, which the poet may
or may not have intended.
Crane, Stephen.War Is Kind 1899. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama Ed. Robert
DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 780-781. Print.

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The march-like beat to this song really accentuates the ironic tone of the song. While the
song itself talks about the glory of death in war, the ironic tone of the song suggests that
its anything but glorious and the march-like beat helps create the irony by creating an
impersonal and stoic mood rather than the proud and happy mood youd expect. I found
this poem what I was looking for a poem that would connect to Never Let Me Go, and I
think that connection gave this poem more depth and meaning in my mind than the poem
would have on its own.
Doolittle, Hilda. Heat. 1916. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama Ed. Robert
DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 797-798. Print.
I found the description of wind and heat in this poem really interesting. Having, lived in
an extremely hot country for a period of time, the speakers sentiments were very familiar
to me, but Ive never personified the wind or the heat to the extent that the speaker of the
poem did here. To be very honest, while reading the poem, I wondered whether maybe all
the heat had gotten to the speakers head and maybe shed gotten delirious. Certain
images like blunts / the points of pears / and rounds the grapes really do seem to
confirm my theory that the speaker was slightly out of it. Either way, the poems basic
idea is very relatable -- when youre standing in sweltering heat, the heat does seem like
the worst enemy around and youd do anything to get rid of it.
Dylan, Bob. Girl From the North Country. Bob Dylan, 1963. MP3.
This song really captures the essence of winter and the reminiscent feelings that the
season creates. However, what made this song different from others in my mind, was its
rather unadorned singing. The singers voice in this song focused my attention on what he
was trying to say, rather than the actual melody or tune, which I think, intensified the

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feelings he was trying to convey. In particular I liked how stanza two and three worked
together to show how badly the singer wanted to know about the girl, despite his almost
nonchalant air. Overall, I liked the song for its focus on the lyrics and meaning while still
having the distinct characteristics of a song.
Eliot, T.S. Wasteland. Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 December
2014.
I only read excerpts of this poem but even those excerpts were quite meaningful. Right
off the bat, the poet started flipping the connotations associated with the seasons in a way
that made me rethink my perception of the seasons -- I've always loved winter more than
any other season, but I never thought of it like the poet. After that, the rest of the exerpts
had a very post apocalyptic feel that's associated and attributed to mankind. This poem's
take on life, death and rebirth is interesting in that it considers the regeneration of earth
separate from mankind, which is something that's really hard to think about because to
us, mankind is inseparable from the earth. In reality though, the dependance is one way
and this poem does an amazing job of capturing that.
Faulkner, William. Barn Burning. 1939. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama Ed.
Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 514-526. Print.
There was one scene in particular in this story that stuck out to me -- the one where Sarty
breaks away from his mother to inform the Major. I really appreciated the literal and
symbolic meaning of that moment and the power that the images in that scene carried.
The way in which Sarty's tearing away from his mother was described reflected his
divergence from his parents' values and ultimately symbolized his exit from childhood.
The emotions and imagery of that scene really do reflect the emotions that almost every

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human experiences at some point during his or her life. However, only some choose to do
what Sarty did, while others remain behind like his mother. To me, the beauty of this
scene comes from that fact that it draws a clear parallel to everyday events but dramatizes
the whole thing so that we as readers feel emotions inspired not just by the text but by our
own lives.
Frost, Robert. Choose Something Like a Star. Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d.
Web. 22 December 2014.
I really liked the imagery in this poem and the idea of a star speaking to a human. In
particular, I liked the stars response to the poet because it maintains the mystery that
surrounds the star and the night sky, while imagining what the star would say if it could
talk. Typically, when I imagine conversations with inanimate things, they are more
revealing and take away from the mystery of an object that cant express itself; in this
poem though, Frost manages to both have a conversation and not only keep the mystery,
but heighten it. The way the speaker in the poem combined traditional, childhood
comforts with science really struck a chord with me. I feel like thats something I do all
the time -- I have certain good-luck rituals from my childhood that I shouldve retired a
long time ago, but have held on to and tried to rationalize.
Frost, Robert. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Poetry Foundation. Poetry
Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 December 2014.
The main reason this poem is important to me is the last stanza The woods are lovely,
dark and deep, / But I have promises to keep, / And miles to go before I sleep, / And
miles to go before I sleep. I came across this poem during the height of my transition
between two countries and to me it represented the crux of my reasons to keep pushing

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forward. Its all too easy to get lost in the beauty of the moment and convince yourself to
stop, but it takes conviction to fight that temptation and remember the promises to
keep. More recently, I found myself reciting this last stanza spontaneously to a friend,
when I was trying to tell her how tired I was but couldnt find the words. It really is
interesting how a poem can mean different things at different points in your life, and yet
all the meanings make sense at any given point. The repetition of the last two lines
especially heighten the plethora of meanings and sometimes, when Im bored I find
myself thinking of other things that these lines could mean -- and by bored, I mean
procrastinating.
Furler, Sia. Chandelier. Greg Kurstin, 2014. MP3.
Both this song and its accompanying music video were incredibly effective in conveying
a sense of liberation and freedom. To me, its interesting how, when I listen to the song,
not at one point do I feel as though the singer is just screaming or shouting -- her message
is clear even if sometimes the lyrics are not. This song is powerful for it is the musical
equivalent of the phrase A picture is worth a thousand words. I vaguely remember one
day looking up the lyrics and finding that they didnt coincide with my interpretation of
the song based on the strong vocals. I suppose that the lyrics of the song did have some
symbolic or connotative value, but the idea of holding on for tonight wasn't what I had
in mind when I pictured a girl swinging from a chandelier. So, I conveniently chose to
forget the lyrics and just focus on the vocals that drew me to the song in the first place.
However, more than the actual song, its the music video that had a profound impact on
me, for it symbolized everything that I gleaned from the song and accurately portrayed
what dance does for me. The image of that girl just dancing, for no reason other than the

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fact that music and dance exist really got to me. I think now, when I try to picture
independence and freedom, it is that powerful image of the girl, and the chorus of the
song that immediately spring up in my head. This song is an amazing pick-me-up and I
dont see it getting old for me anytime soon.
Grande, Arianna, and Sean Anderson. Best Mistake. Key Wayne, 2014. MP3.
Im the type of reader/listener, who likes to visualize things as I read/listen to them and
so, as Ive mentioned before, imagery plays a huge role in my perception of literature.
The reason this song stuck with me was because of the systematic closing off of the two
main senses and the subsequent highlighting of the third through an image that is slowly
painted as the chorus progresses. First, the ability to speak is lost as the "water dries up".
Next, the ability to see is lost as "the moon stops shining / Stars fall, and the world goes
blind". At this point the image in my mind is of a blank canvas where I can't see or speak
as the only thing I can do is listen to the song, which heightens the emotions in the song. I
really appreciated this way of forcing me to see and feel the song in the way that the artist
wanted me to by cutting off my means to navigate the song.
Griffiths, Jem. Flying High. ATO, 2004. MP3.

When I first heard this song, the singer's voice made it difficult for me to concentrate on
the words of the song. Instead, I was captured by the singer's voice which was almost
perfectly clear, by had an almost indiscernible texture to it beneath the surface. For some
reason I zeroed in on her voice and heard the ups and downs and the way the clarity of
her voice seemed to convey meanings without really changing. Overall, without even
looking at the words, it was obvious that the singer was going through some sort of

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internal conflict/dilemma and was haunted by some desire. It's interesting how sometimes
songs really don't need words to convey a meaning -- in this song in particular, the voice
of the singer had a greater impact on me than the lyrics.
Hawethorn, Nathaniel. Young Goodman Brown 1828. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and
Drama Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 553-562. Print.
The stars from the scene in the forest really caught my attention because they seemed to
be the only hopeful/positive thing in the whole forest. Goodman Brown seems overcome
with despair that no good exists in the world, but when he looks up into the stars, he
regains some hope that good exists somewhere. The stars provide a welcome relief from
all the darkness in the story that only the reader looking for the light can see. The stars are
like a reminder to the readers to continue to look for light in the darkness, for it always
exists, no matter how small.
Hikmet, Nazim. On Living Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 December
2014.
I came across this poem on Mr. Millss twitter feed while I was procrastinating on my
homework. It was snowing outside and the view outside my window seemed quite postapocalyptic. So its no surprise that my eyes went straight to the lines This earth will
grow cold one day, / not like a block of ice / or a dead cloud even / but like an empty
walnut it will roll along / in pitch-black space . Even before I read the next few lines, I
felt this hollow pit in my stomach and somewhere in the back of mind I was visualizing
Earth just drifting aimlessly in the galaxy (too much Star Wars?). To an extent, Id tied
the poems images to the weather outside my window, so I agreed wholeheartedly with
the next two lines -- You must grieve for this right now / you have to feel this sorrow

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now. Caught up in this dark mood, I was started by the last two lines, which suddenly
brought in love and life. So, I went back and re-read the poem. The idea of the poem
seemed to be along the lines of accepting the inevitable as a part of life and not allowing
it to taint the greatness of the moment. I think it was that meaning that made me draw the
blinds and switch the lights on.
Hoffenstein, Samuel. I Burned My Candle At Both Ends. Poetry Foundation. Poetry
Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 December 2014.
I found this poem when I was looking through the comments section while brainstorming
for my formal essay, and the first thing I thought was, YESS!!, because it just seemed
so perfect! This poem is a response to St. Millays The First Fig, which essentially
speaks of living life to the fullest with no regrets and as much as I appreciate that
sentiment and look to it regularly, its really not too practical. In most of our regular lives,
were already burning at both ends and while The First Fig offers comfort and
encouragement, sometimes, what we really need is a poem that reflects our feelings -- I
Burned My Candle At Both Ends does just that. What I really appreciate about this
poem is the line-by-line response and the fact that it is the direct opposite of The First
Fig but doesnt take away from the beauty of it. Overall, I love how the two poems
complement each other so well and show the two sides of life that cannot exist without
each other. (On a side note, I cant even express how excited I was when I found this
poem. I think I woke the entire house up.. Whoops..)
Ishiguro, Kazuo. Never Let Me Go. New York: Vintage Books, 2005. Print.
The title of this book in particular intrigued me. At first glance, it seemed like the
characters' plea for life and the memories that sustain that life. However, after reading the

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book, it became apparent that the title actually refers to the way the characters to cling to
their predetermined destiny though it'll result in their deaths. The irony lies in the fact that
the characters like Tommy and Ruth who seem to the most passionate about life are the
ones who cling to their fate and ultimately their death the most. Though this aspect of the
book was the most heart wrenching, it was also the most human.
Kimmel, Jimmy. "YouTube Challenge - I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy
2014." YouTube. Jimmy Kimmel Live, 4 Nov. 2014. Web. 22 Dec. 2014.
I absolutely love this Kimmel series! Not only is it hilarious, but also, it offers insight
into the minds of little kids and how their environment and life thus far has shaped them
and taught them to react in the face of adversity. Im pretty confident that if my parents
tried this on me I wouldve called them out on the prank and asked for my candy back, or
I wouldve just walked away and cried in a corner. Update: I just asked my parents what
they thought Id do and my mom acted it out for me. According to her, I wouldve shook
my head furiously, walked to a corner with my arms crossed and stayed there until she
gave me my candy back. Well, atleast I wouldnt have been a brat about it.
Keats, John. Ode to a Nightingale. 1819. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama Ed.
Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 1145-1147. Print.
I appreciated the meaning behind this poem and the way in which that meaning was
conveyed. The speakers fascination with the nightingale speaks so much louder than any
other discussion of mortality and death could. The final stanza is especially heartwrenching because it allows us to see the speakers anguish without the nightingale as a
sort of medium. I really liked the imagery was used in this poem -- especially the way
that the auditory imagery was combined with visual imagery to describe the nightingale.

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That, along with the sing-songy rhyme scheme helped emphasize the effect of the
nightingale without taking away from the solemness of the speakers message. I rarely
ever think of death and dying, but this poem made me unconsciously consider both; to be
honest, if I were in the same place that Keats was in, I doubt Id be that profound and I
really admire him and this poem for that.
Lahiri, Jhumpa. The Namesake. 2003. New York: Mariner, 2004.
One particular quote from this book describing Ashima struck me. " For being a
foreigner, Ashima is beginning to realize, is a sort of lifelong pregnancy a perpetual
wait, a constant burden, a continuous feeling out of sorts" (49). I found that, having lived
in a different country for sometime, I could relate to this particular quote. Even a few
years after I moved to India and I'd almost completely settled in I always felt this weight
inside me -- this constant fear that I'd do or say something wrong that would give me
away as an outsider. Though I obviously haven't been pregnant before, I understand what
shes trying to say. When you live in a foreign country, you want nothing more than to fit
in and yet, there's a constant wait to drop the pretense, which often times feels like a huge
weight in the pit of your stomach. Ashima's quote put this indescribable feeling that I'd
had for 5 years into words in a way that made the entire thing sound more poetic and less
terrifying than it actually felt.
Lindner, April. First Kiss. Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 December
2014.
The first image in this poem was pretty startling because it contradicted everything I
knew about a kiss. However, after the poem progressed, the kiss that was described began
to make sense in the context of the poem. To me, this poem seemed to be split into four

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distinct snapshots in time, represented by four images, which follow the speaker through
her unhappy marriage/relationship to its demise. I thought it was interesting how the
poem was just a collection of images and that all of its meaning came from the reader
and his/her interpretation of the connotations of the images. The final image of the the
answering machine's one bloodshot eye especially has so many different connotative
meanings that shape the overall meaning of the poem.
Lorca, Garcia. Arbole, Arbole Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 22
December 2014.
Having studied Sanskrit and Sanskrit poetry for a good 6 years thus far, Ive come across
several instances where translation simply doesnt do a poem, or even prose, justice. So
when I found out that Arbole, Arbole was translated from Spanish, my first thought
was that elements of the poem must be missing. Though the poems English translation is
beautiful, I cant help but wonder whether here are some cultural connotations to certain
symbols (like the olives) or recurring images (the horse-riders calling the girl). Im
almost certain that a native Spanish speaker would find a lot more meaning in the original
poem than I found in the English version, and I think it could be really interesting to see
where the translation fails in conveying that meaning.
Lovato, Demi. Skyscraper. Toby Gad, 2011. MP3.
This song has always been close to my heart for so many reasons. The first time I heard
the full song was on the train in my first trip away from home by myself when I was
thirteen. I remember I couldn't sleep at all, so I put this song on replay.At that point, this
song resonated with me because of some odd teenage angst. However, for a long time
after that song has remained one of favorites because of its message -- people and things

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will try to push you down and feel bad, but persevering will only make you stronger. I
think this song means so much to me because I have a tendency to ruminate and
reminisce a lot and to me it seems like a huge part of who I am is a result of other people
advertantly or inadvertently did. This song's almost post-apocalyptic feel adds to the
overall idea of the poem and to an extent amplified the feelings within me and allowed
me to come to terms with them. I also really appreciated the use of glass to symbolize the
singer's fragility and her resilience at the same time -- though glass breaks easily, it is the
same thing that makes up the awe-inspiring skyscrapers.
Matilda. Dir. Danny DeVito. Perf. Mara Wilson, Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman.
TriStar Pictures, 1996. Film.
I grew up with this movie and I dont think Ive gone six months without seeing it. I first
read the book when I was younger. Back then, I didnt read very many superhero
comics/books, so Matilda was my superhero. Watching the movie, after reading the book,
gave me a way to picture this girl that I adored so much and let me see her almost as an
equal. Whenever I go back and watch the movie, it makes me feel as though Im a little
girl again and rekindles my belief that if you try hard enough, you can be a superhero. I
wont lie--after I finished watching the movie last night, I tried to will the TV off and the
remote to my hands (It didnt work, but Im making progress, I swear!). Nonetheless,
even today, she holds an almost saint-like place in my heart and represents how the
smallest things can have a huge impact on the way a child (and an adult or teen)
perceives things.
McEwan, Ian. Atonement. New York: Anchor, 2002. Print.

Ramesh 19
I wish I could put into words the entire effect that this book had on me and the amount of
time I spent thinking about it. In particular I spent a lot of time thinking about the title of
the book and Brionys reason for writing it. While reading the final pages, I was moved. I
remember finishing the book, closing it and just staring at the title and that brought forth
a wave of emotions. But after sometime, once Id detached myself from Brionys
character I began to question her motives. Briony seemed to insinuate that shed
sacrificed so much because she felt guilty. But did she really sacrifice much? She worked
as a nurse for sometime, but she really never left the comforts of her upper class life. She
never really sought atonement for her mistake. She imagined the whole thing, and what
good is an imagination in reversing the devastating effects of her lie? But really, what
else could she do? There was never a way for her to seek atonement and that realization
really got to me. The mistakes we make are permanent, no matter how small. We can try
to repair them, but well always leave a scar.
Meinke, Peter. Advice to My Son. 1981. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama Ed.
Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 805-806. Print.
This poems message really stuck to me because of how universal it is. A lot of the time, I
have a tendency to only think about what I need to do and forget why I need to do it (in
the big picture), and this poem was a great reminder. I especially liked the lines with the
image of the garden: To be specific, between the peony and the rose plant squash and
spinach, turnips and tomatoes -- these lines used this very common image of a garden to
convey a very profound message -- remember to find something to enjoy and love while
youre working, because ultimately, thats what youre working for. Its this image that
burned itself in my mind and every time Ive seen a vegetable garden since, this message

Ramesh 20
has came back to me. In my mind, a good poem is one that leaves a lasting impact on me,
embeds an image in my mind of something very mundane and is able to affect me when I
see something associated with that image (or the image itself). This poem does all of that
and more, and its because of that that I find myself coming back to this poem over and
over again.
Meloy, Colin, Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, Nate Query, and John Meon.January Hymn.
Tucker Martine, 2011. MP3.
I loved how peaceful this entire song was. The vocals and the simple instruments in the
background really heightened the feeling of nostalgia and reminiscence. In particular, I
loved how the songs chorus and how it pondered the possibilities while at the same time
accepting the past for what it is--to me, thats the essence of winter: looking back and
seeing how things couldve been better or worse and then just coming to terms with them.
The final line of the chorus is what, I think, Ill remember the most vivdly about this
song. It encapsulates all the emotions and ideas in this song, while at the same time
adding a breathy and soothing reassurance for those gloomy winter days when everything
just seems to be grey.
Meloy, Malie. "Ranch Girl". 2002. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama Ed. Robert
DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 362-366. Print.
One particular quote from this story really got me thinking -- "Be interesting in your
twenties. Otherwise you'll want to do it in your thirties or forties, when it wreaks all kinds
of havoc, and you've got a husband and kids." I have a tendency to do things the right
way and break any rules -- save all the crazy things for later. That quote made me
reconsider that because it made so much sense. There really is no point in not making use

Ramesh 21
of the safety net my parents have given me and testing the waters a little bit. Nothing too
crazy, obviously, but a little outside the lines definitely couldn't hurt.
Millay, St. Vincent. First Fig. Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 December
2014.
This poem has an unmistakable theme of liberation from social constraints in order to live
life to the fullest and its that idea that has always resonated with me. Right from the start,
the poem depicts the speaker as a person who lives an unconventional lifestyle, subject to
criticism fromfriends and foes but perseveres; by the end, whether or not they agree, she
continues to let her candle give a lovely light. This light, which is at the heart of the
excerpt and the poem, points at a universal idea of life and the decisions that constitute it
-- the light symbolizes the triumph of the quality of life over its duration, and the
production of this light is a testament to the importance of independence and staying true
to oneself. I love how such a profound message is condensed into four lines in such a
sincere way that is open to different interpretations, each of which are most probably
correct in their own way.
O'Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. New York: Broadway, 1998. Print.
I really dont know what to say about this book other than the fact that it all seemed so
real, but fictional at the same time. The entire book seemed like a dream, in that it was so
vivid and detailed, but had a dream-like imaginative haze. For me, this haze was almost
palpable in the chapter Speaking of Courage, but it seemed to disguise itself as the
summer haze. What I thought was most interesting about this chapter in particular was
the way Bowkers emotions and thoughts became a part of the imagery -- all of his
actions and thoughts were a part of the haze and the landscape and I could see them when

Ramesh 22
I visualized the road by the pond. That ability to visualize intangible things like
helplessness and loneliness really made this chapter and its message very real in my
mind, yet I knew that it should be impossible for me to visualize them. I think what it
came down to for me was that I felt the truth in the book, but knew it was all made up. I
had to choose between what I felt and what I thought and surprisingly, I chose to believe
what I felt.
OConnor, Flannery. Everything That Rises Must Converge. 1950. Literature: Reading
Fiction, Poetry and Drama Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 212-222.
Print.
When I started reading this story, almost by instinct, I began to relate to Julian, but as the
story progressed and Julian started revealing more and more of himself, I tried to distance
myself from him. It seemed to me as though all Julian wanted to be was the opposite of
his mother. At the beginning, however, this wasnt clear, and it seemed as though Julian
was a part of a newer and better generation, which I think is what most people want to be
a part of and why I immediately related with Julian. Yet, as the story progressed, it
became clear that Julian wasnt really any newer or better than his mother. To me,
Julians character represents the difference between becoming an independent adult and
merely becoming the opposite of your parents -- both of which seem the same at first, but
are drastically different in the long run.
OConnor, Flannery. Good Country People. 1955. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and
Drama Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 188-201. Print.
Honestly, I couldnt stop laughing throughout the whole second half of the story, initially
because of the irony in the fact that Hulga trusted a Bible salesman more than her mother,

Ramesh 23
and later because of Manleys betrayal. The story was abound with irony, but the one
that stood out to me the most when I first read it (and the one I found the most funny) was
the fact that Hulga, an atheist and supposed intellectual, was so easily deceived by a
boy pretending to be a deeply religious country-side salesman. Youd expect her to be the
last person to trust person to trust a Bible salesman, but instead she trusts him in the most
intimate way a disabled person can. Despite having a Ph.D, she forgets a rule that even a
5-year old would know -- Never trust a stranger. Ive read this story a couple times now
and every time, I find something new to laugh at, some irony Id previously missed. Any
doubt I had in my mind about the definition of irony is gone just because of this story and
Hulgas character in particular. Of all the four OConnor stories, this one was hands down
my favorite one.
OConnor, Flannery. A Good Man Is Hard to Find. 1955. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry
and Drama Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 202-212. Print.
Its interesting how the old lady reacts to the Misfit when she realizes hes killing all her
family members. Rather than seeing him as the murderer that he is, she begins to see the
good in him and tries negotiating with that good part of him. Whilst reading the
story, at that point, the lady seemed to be truly batty and out of touch with reality, but
when I thought about it later, I realized that if I were in the same situation, I probably
wouldve reacted along those same lines. I feel like its almost natural for people to want
to see the best in others when their lives lay in the others hands. Though in that same
situation, I probably wouldnt have been so oblivious to my familys death, I do believe
that I wouldve tried to find a shred of humanity to negotiate with.

Ramesh 24
OConnor, Flannery. The Life You Save May Be Your Own. 1955. Literature: Reading
Fiction, Poetry and Drama Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 223-231.
Print.
The moment Mr. Shiftlet was introduced, the first thing that came to my mind was the
enormous amount of similarity between Shiftlet and the Misfit, starting with their names.
Both were once gospel singers, fought in the war in a foreign land, worked for the
railroad and had been undertakers. Beyond that, they both betrayed the trust of two
batty old ladies (who were fairly greedy and shallow themselves). Once I noticed that
huge similarity, I began to see other striking parallels between the stories until finally at
the end, it seemed to me as though both stories essentially had the same plot. At first, I
attributed the similarities to intertextuality (having just done the One Story presentation,
that seemed like the best conclusion). But what are the chances that two stories by the
same author could have so many similarities by mere coincidence? So, I tried looking it
up, but I didnt find anything. My best guess is that maybe one character was based off
the other, and so the stories also ended up taking similar routes, but I really dont know.
Poe, Edgar Allan. The Fall of the House of Usher. 1840. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry
and Drama Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 149-161. Print.
Over the summer, I took a class at Troy High and the teacher liked to tell terrible jokes.
One of them was about a boy and a girl who stayed at a creepy cabin for a night. In that
house, lived an old man who housed a gorilla under his cabin -- under a floorboard, down
a flight of winding stairs, through a set of huge iron doors and in a solid steel bar cage
two stories high. When the teacher first told this joke (in a much more dramatic effect),
the suspense in the room was palpable. When I read the last couple paragraphs of the fall

Ramesh 25
of the house of usher, before Madeline appears, I felt the exact same thing and after, I felt
this distinct feeling of dj vu. I thought it was interesting how despite the fact that I
knew that the joke would end on a light hearted note and the fall of the house of usher
would end on a darker note, both the pieces invoked the same feeling in me. That same
impact that the two drastically different pieces delivered seemed, to me, like it was
derived from the similar imagery. I hadn't anticipated to feel the same effect that the
joke's narration had on me when I read the fall of the house usher, but the fact that I did
feel it illustrated the huge extent to which imagery has on my reading experience.
Plath, Sylvia. Two Campers in a Cloud Country. Poetry Foundation. Poetry
Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 December 2014.
I thought the contrast between the form and the theme of this poem was particularly
interesting. The poem seemed to be talking about a gradual descent (or ascent, depending
on how you look at it) from civilization and order, to crude disorder. Yet, the poem itself
was neatly organized into stanzas with three lines--there isnt even any enjambment to
subtly break the neat form. It seemed to me as though despite the fact that the speaker
knew that going into wilderness meant a loss of order and civilization, she also
recognized that it wasnt a complete loss--that the effects of civilization will have left a
permanent mark on her and the inherent need for order would remain.
Robinson, Edwin A. Miniver Cheevy. 1910. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama
Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 791. Print.
I didn't really pay attention to this poem until I had to do the reflection question for the
poem. When I listed out all of the verbs in the poem I found an interesting thread -- all of
them implied an inaction. When I looked at the verbs all together, they suggested that

Ramesh 26
Miniver Cheevy unhappy because he never did anything and instead preferred to
complain about the present and imagine his ideal world. I thought it was interesting how
in this poem, looking at parts of the whole revealed more about the overall meaning of
the poem than a more holistic approach.
Roethke, Theodore. My Papas Waltz. 1942. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama
Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 773. Print.
Im the sort of reader who makes an instantaneous assessment of the most probable
message and theme of the poem the moment I finish reading it, but for this poem, I
couldnt do that since the two themes I came up with were direct opposites and equally
probable; even now, I cant tell whether its one theme or the other. So when we came to
deconstructive criticism, my mind first jumped to this poem. Despite the fact that this
poem is perfect for deconstructive criticism, I cant help but feel that there really is
nothing to deconstruct, since the poem pretty much does that itself. What I mean by that
is, it seems to me as though the poems purpose itself is to unravel itself and leave behind
an ambiguity that means everything and nothing. So when I was deconstructing this, I
couldnt help but feel a little silly, because I was doing for the poem what the poem was
doing for itself. Overall though, I enjoyed the poems lack of a fixed meaning -- to me, it
symbolized the fact that there are two (or more) sides to everything and trying to pick
just one reduces the worth of the whole.
Shakespeare, William. Sonnet 104. Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web.
22 December 2014.
The reason I picked this poem was because of the imagery -- not the images of seasons
changing, but the image of the dial hand and its motion. For me, that image was

Ramesh 27
refreshing and more meaningful than the almost cliche images of seasons. I thought that
one picture of beauty being a dial had was interesting. The moment I saw that image I
began thinking of the power of perspective. I mean the speakers point of view was
beautiful, but when you think about it, unless you're staring at the dial hand, you're going
to see time move and beauty age, and I based my sonnet off that other perspective. If
you're the speaker and you're staring at one hand, you're not going to see time move and
so you won't see time come full circle. But if you take a more holistic approach, you see
that everything comes back full circle and for every beauty that is lost, another is born.
Shakespeare, William. That time of year thou mayst in me behold. Poetry
Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 December 2014.
This poems take on aging is accurate and slightly frightening at the same time. However,
the entire effect was pretty watered down when I read it for the first time because the
message was romanticized. I think that the poets intention was to romanticize it because
the poem does consider aging in the light of love, which in itself is a romantic notion. I
liked how the poet combined imagery and symbolism to convey his idea and intertwined
the two so well that its hard to see where one ends and the other begins. I also
appreciated the rhyme and iambic pentameter in giving the poem a slow and steady pace
which complemented the overall theme of aging.
Shaw, George B. Pygmalion. New York: Brentano, 1916. Bartleby.com. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.
This play was the first one Id acted in and that introduction to actually speaking on a
stage made a significant impact on the kind of person I am. At that time, it seemed to me
as though playing the role of a character and interacting with other characters, rather
than just reading, gave me insight into the complexities of the character. However, after

Ramesh 28
thoroughly analyzing this poem for my formal essay, I saw a lot of social messages, that
Id previously missed, hidden within the plays comedy. When I sat down as a critical
reader, I found that I understood the play better since I could completely remove myself
from the characters and analyze them and their actions more thoroughly. Its fascinating
how pieces of literature, plays in particular, can have different meanings depending on
how you interact with them.
Sheeran, Ed. Don't. Rick Rubin, 2014. MP3.
I came across this song while listening to the iTunes Top 50 playlist and what struck my
first was the vocals for the background--they seemed very nonchalant and relaxed, but
werent exactly upbeat. Those background vocals set the tone for the rest of the song,
which was by a man whose girlfriend had cheated on him with his friend. That contrast
between the tone of the song and its message really threw me off, to the point where if I
tried to focus on the song (the vocals and such), I lost track of the lyrics, and if I tried to
focus on the lyrics, I lost track of the song. So I went back and read the lyrics and
immediately, they seemed to be straight out of a T-Swift song. I thought it was neat how
two different people could produce completely different songs with the same basic idea. I
suppose the difference arose from the fact that Ed Sheeran was trying to brush off the
incident, even though it hurt him, while T-Swift focused on the hurt and used her song as
a vehicle to relieve herself of her pain. Either way, this song was a refresher from all the
1984 songs that had been playing before it.
Silverstein, Shel. The Giving Tree. New York: Harper & Row, 1964. Print.
I vaguely remember my first feelings when I read "The Giving Tree" as a child -indignation toward the boy and warm fuzzy feelings toward the tree. However, after

Ramesh 29
about 10 years, when I went back and reread this story, I saw a lot more layers (and felt a
lot less warm, fuzzy feelings). There's a very fine line between unconditional love and
nativity (tree) and between opportunism and selfishness (boy); reading the story back
today, it's become apparent that both characters crossed that line. More than anything, this
story is evidence of just how much I've changed in my perspective of good and bad -things never really are just black and white; there's always grey. I think it'll be really
interesting to see whether my perspective changes further in another 10 years.
Stewart, Muriel. In the Orchard. 1958. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama Ed.
Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 783. Print.
I liked the fact that this poem was made up of direct quotes -- it made me feel as though I
was reading a short story in a nuthell. However, what I thought was most interesting was
the different ways to interpret this poem. I read it a couple times, and each time I felt
outraged on behalf of the girl. However when I recommended the poem to my friend,
who later read it, her first reaction was to appreciate the boy. In my friend's eyes, the boy
deserved some appreciation for telling the truth and not lying to mollify the girl. It's
interesting how we read poems while subconsciously adopt the perspective of the
speaker. So when there are two speakers, we adopt different perspectives without
realizing it and interpret the poem differently.
Stopera, Dave. "Could You Possibly Get A High School Diploma Now?"BuzzFeed.
BuzzFeed, 15 Dec. 2014. Web. 22 Dec. 2014.
I came across this article late at night when I was browsing through the articles on the
BuzzFeed app. I saw the title of the article and thought, Well, what do I have to lose?,
and started taking the test. I was completely serious about the quiz until I came to

Ramesh 30
question three and realized what was happening and I thought it was hilarious (especially
the last few)! A couple days later, when a couple old AP Bio students, and I were talking
to Ms. B, this article came up again and it became a sort of joke. Wed be talking about
something totally random, like weddings, and someone would say mitochondria, and
wed all start laughing. In retrospect, those jokes didnt make too much sense, but they
were funny nonetheless. Theres really no point to this story, or this entry, other than the
fact that I know Ill come back to this document later, and Id like to be able to remind
myself of this article and the memory associated with it.
Tennyson, Alfred. The Charge of the Light Brigade. Poetry Foundation. Poetry
Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 December 2014.
This poem took sometime to figure out, but in the end, I think I figured parts of it out. To
me, the second stanza seemed to capture the essence of the poem - a group of men
(soldiers or sailors perhaps) listened to their captain without hesitating despite knowing
that it was a grievous error. Its interesting to read this poem in a time where its hard to
find a group of 10 thatll so whatever their superior says without hesitating even if he/she
is right -- it seems foolish! However, as the poem progresses, and as you get more into
the era the poem was written in, the men seem less foolish and more brave. I went back
and read the background history of the poem, and it surprised me that the poem is pretty
much a recount of a true incident. After reading that, I was able to appreciate the
sentiment behind the poem -- really, its all too easy to desert a team in the face of death,
but it takes a separate brand of honor and selflessness to do what those men did.
"This is Water by David Foster Wallace." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 30 Oct. 2013.

Ramesh 31
I really liked the picturization in this video. It reflected the overall message of the speech
well and quite honestly, I dont think I wouldve grasped the idea of the speech as well
without the video. Even more important than the video to me was the fish story at the
beginning because it captured the essence of the speech. My first reaction to that
anecdote was to laugh at it and treat it as a joke. But as the speech went on it became a
little frightening. There are things all around us that influence us everyday that we dont
see, or choose not to see. So really, the jokes on us and DFWs speech does a really good
job at showing this without making the listeners feel like idiots for being the fish.
Looking back, its impressive how he makes us laugh at the fish, then shows us that we
are the fish, yet keeps it motivational.
Thomas, Dylan. Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. Poetry Foundation. Poetry
Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 December 2014.
The message of this poem at first seems very counterintuitive, but actually makes a lot of
sense--it seems to urge its audience to fight death till the end, and not simply embrace it
and fade away. This message really struck a chord with me because a lot of people close
to me have been diagnosed with different terminal maladies, but they fought their
diagnosis and held on to life, and ultimately ended up living for a few more years.
Normally, people are told to embrace death as it comes and not fight it, but to me, this
poems take on that idea seems more brave and meaningful. Most people have the ability
to accept death and live the rest of their lives in anticipation of death, but not very many
people can accept impending death and still continue to live a meaningful life. The
purpose of this poem, in my opinion, is to urge more people to live meaningful lives and
try to fight for a longer life even though they know theyre going to die.

Ramesh 32
Updike, John. A&P. 1961. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama Ed. Robert
DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 32-36. Print.
To be honest, this story was pretty creepy because of the point of view. The way the
narrator, Sammy, describes the girls with such intense detail sets the story's mood and
tone. However, the story makes a sharp turn from creepy to dramatic and anticlimactic
very quickly when Sammy says "I quit". The final image of the story, I think, was the
most meaningful and even though it was anticlimactic the story was building up toward
that final scene. That moment when Sammy realizes that Queenie didn't wait highlights
the difference between the narrator's emotions and the reader's emotions. Throughout the
story, it is apparent that Sammy is quite an unreliable narrator, but at that one moment at
the end, the stark difference becomes most evident and its effects are most felt. Through
Sammy's unreliable narration we get insight into the mind of an adolescent that obviously
thinks he's more than he really is. I liked the way the narration in this story allowed the
reader access to the narrator's mind but didn't impose the narrator's emotions on the
reader. Everything was very matter of fact and it worked well in this story.
Wordsworth, William. [I wandered lonely as a cloud]. Poetry Foundation. Poetry
Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 December 2014.
I loved the imagery in this poem! It was so vivid and prompted a beautiful visual image,
aided by aural and tactile imagery, which really made me feel as though I was with
Wordsworth in that field. Furthermore, the connotations of the words in this poem made
the poems message very uplifting. I do believe it was the first poem I ever read, and
when I was younger, I believed all poems were like this one. Honestly, this is one of the
most positive poems Ive come across and, in my mind, is the paramount example of the

Ramesh 33
influence that words can have on people--they give you an escape to a world that no-one
except you has access. Having heard/read (I cant remember which) this poem at a very
young age, I could've sworn that I actually visited the field of dandelions--even now, Im
not completely sure as to whether I actually went there, or just visualized it so vividly.
Either way, the images in this poem will always be a source of comfort for me, and this
poem will always be close to my heart.
Wright, Judith. Woman to Child. 1946. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama Ed.
Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 804. Print.
This poem immediately stood out to me because it seemed to embody this idea that had
been passed down from mother to child in my family. This poem focuses on the
everlasting yet tentative relationship between a mother and child, which has a depth to it
that this poem describes quite accurately. After reading this poem and thinking about it
for some time, I was surprised by the fact that it didnt overwhelm me. Only then did it
strike me that my mom and grandmother had been telling me the same thing for ages and
that I pretty much accepted as a fact. This poem put a face to that vague and abstract idea
that my family put into my head and gave me a concrete way to picture the relationship
between a mother and child. In particular, I loved the image of the tree and fruit and its
symbolic meaning. I thought it captured the relationship being described perfectly
without really adding any unwanted connotative meaning.
Yeats, W.B. The Lake Isle of Innisfree. 1892. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry and Drama
Ed. Robert DiYanni. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 796-797. Print.
I really liked how peaceful this entire poem was. All of the words and images were
soothing and really fit the overall message of the poem. In particular, the images of the

Ramesh 34
"bean-rows" and "hive" (3) appealed to me because they considered the peace inherent in
order. I find comfort in things that are ordered and neat, so those two images in particular
allowed me to get really comfortable with the poem and its message. The auditory
imagery in this poem was very effective and I was surprised to the extent at which it
influenced my reading without me realizing it. The sound of the crickets in particular
played a significant role in setting the mood of the poem and I didn't really notice it at all
at first. The imagery of this poem was particularly memorable to me because of how
subtle it was and how it influenced my reading without me noticing.