I, Too by Langston Hughes

I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.

Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed—
I, too, am America.

TPCAST:

T-title1: The title “I, too” made me to think that the speaker is also in part of something, such as in a group of society, a group of family, or a group of friends.

P-paraphrase: Throughout the poem, the speaker is defining how the Whites treated Blacks; including him, perhaps. The speaker stated in the period of time, when “racial discrimination” was a major problem, the importance of racial equality.

C-connotation: In this poem, the author uses symbols and metaphors to express the meaning of what the poem is trying to tell us. The title “I, too” is definitely telling us that the speaker (the author), is the subject of the title, personally. By using the word, “too”, which means that he is implying that he is also included in it, whatever that the society is, but surely America. I think it was very interesting that the author used him as his own subject, as the title.
He uses the word “America” as a symbol of equality, diversity, and perseverance. It is because he tells us that America was a place of segregation, equality for all, America is a place where we all are equal.
In the first line, he states “I, too sing America”. The statement is emphasizing the importance of he is also included in the group. It is also a metaphor for the embracing in the state of America.

A-attitude: The author uses vivid imagery and strong sounds to express how the speaker’s feelings towards racism. The tone of this poem could be desperate, but it is not at all. Surely, this poem made the feelings of encouragement, hopeful, and strong towards the readers.

S-Shifts: The author uses “I, too sing America” to show that he is not a stranger in a stranger place. The place where he settled, America is his country. He is American, not a stranger anymore.

T-title2: The title made me to think about the author again that he is American, too. He is not a stranger.

T-theme: The author Langston Hughes is telling us the way in which African Americans be treated at the period that time. The racism that towards African Americans which American society regarding. The term “America” is describing not only a place where everyone is free to do, but also a place where everyone is equal and given the same opportunities.

Mirror by.Sylvia Plath (1932-1963)

I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions.

Whatever I see, I swallow immediately.

Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike

I am not cruel, only truthful –

The eye of a little god, four-cornered.

Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall.

It is pink, with speckles. I have looked at it so long

I think it is a part of my heart. But it flickers.

Faces and darkness separate us over and over.

Now I am a lake. A woman bends over me.

Searching my reaches for what she really is.

Then she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon.

I see her back, and reflect it faithfully

She rewards me with tears and an agitation of hands.

I am important to her. She comes and goes.

Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness.

In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman

Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.




TPCAST:

T-title1: The reflection of one’s self, innocence

P-paraphrase: The author was a young girl in the beginning and turns into an old woman. The changeability of one’s self.

C-connotation: There are many metaphors and similes in this poem, such as “I am silver and exact”, “I am a lake”, ”like a terrible fish” and etc. Sylvia uses this metaphor to show that the little girl get used to look in that mirror has now drowned and an old woman appears and towards her "like a terrible fish". This shows her dislike for herself. It says "over and over" and "day after day", Sylvia has been looking in this mirror every day for a long period of time, she is getting older and she hates it.

A-attitude: Sylvia was severe depression and she had very little compassion for herself. This poem shows how she is scared of the truth the mirror is showing her.

S-Shifts: “I” here represents the young girl and also the old woman, which means “I” represents herself or her image.

T-title2:The reflection that presents one’s self, truth, and lies.

T-theme: The author Sylvia Plath is telling us the truth and lies. Sylvia plath is torn between the true picture of herself and the biased image in other’s point of view. The mirror represents the truth, as it is described as "exact", "just as it is" and "only truthful". Unlike humans the mirror cannot judge sylvia as it says "no preconceptions...unmisted by love or dislike". This shows unlike someone who may love her or hate her the mirror can have no opinion of her so will not be biased on judging how she looks.

Annabel Lee by.Edgar Allan Poe

Annabel Lee

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,

That a maiden there lived whom you may know

By the name of ANNABEL LEE;

And this maiden she lived with no other thought

Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,

In this kingdom by the sea;

But we loved with a love that was more than love-

I and my Annabel Lee;

With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven

Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,

In this kingdom by the sea,

A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling

My beautiful Annabel Lee;

So that her highborn kinsman came

And bore her away from me,

To shut her up in a sepulchre

In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven,

Went envying her and me-

Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know,

In this kingdom by the sea)

That the wind came out of the cloud by night,

Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love

Of those who were older than we-

Of many far wiser than we-

And neither the angels in heaven above,

Nor the demons down under the sea,

Can ever dissever my soul from the soul

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side

Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,

In the sepulchre there by the sea,

In her tomb by the sounding sea.

Edgar Allan Poe

I really enjoyed this poem----
This poem made me feel the pain of Annabel and its so great that she's not alone.
As humans we forget to love all people for who they are.
This poem brought great tears to my eyes.
I think the author understands of the cycle of life and death and

it is also a beautiful composition describing the grief and power of the death of a loved one,
set in a 'kingdom by the sea.'