Critical Analysis of Directions for Resisting the SAT by Richard Hague - Book Report/Review Example

Critical Analysis of “Directions for Resisting the SAT” by Richard Hague “Richard Hague was born and raised in Steubenville, Ohio, and educated in Cincinnati, where he teaches writing. He is the author of five volumes of poetry, including Ripening (1984) and Possible Debris (1988).” (Higgs, Manning and Miller, 592) In “Directions for Resisting the SAT”, Hague urges the students to renounce the dogmas and peer-pressure by listening to their inner voice and to carve out their own worlds. His message of breaking the traditions and the limitations imposed by time or convention is conveyed strategically in free-verse that suits the mood and tempo of the poem. Apparently, the voice in the poem is of an authoritative figure who is urging the students to stand for their personal freedom and challenge the prevailing system and governing laws. This poem doesn’t follow any specific meter as it is written in free verse. In free verse poems, the idea(s) of the poet flow in a natural manner and various other techniques are used to create rhythm in the poem. In ´Directions for Resisting the SAT´, Richard Hague uses alliteration, repetition and consonance to produce a unique rhyme scheme. An example of alliteration is `clubs and committees` (9); and repetition of words is ´ Go down with the ship- any ship´ (10). The title of the poem ´Directions for Resisting the SAT´ is also a perfect example of alliteration, in which the letters ´s´ and ´t´ create the rhythm. Similarly, consonance is produced by ´live whole like´ (12-13) ´oyster or snail´ (13) ´listen to no one´ (15) and ´make your mark´ (16). The poem is written in a specific context and Hague has taken special care to use the words or terms accordingly. It appears that he wanted to use simple and direct language, so as to be at the same wavelength as that of the students, for whom this poem is written in order to make his message clear. The poet has employed similes and metaphors to compare and contrast human behavior with other living beings; for instance, ´like an oyster or snail´ (13). Both, oysters and snails belong to the same animal family called the ´Mollusks´ and their characteristic feature is their shell, into which they can draw themselves. This is what the poet advises the young generation to create and live in their own world, according to their preferred ways of life and not be influenced by the external world under any circumstances. From a psychological perspective, this relationship between human behavior and oysters or snails is explained in the following way: “The human corollary or its main theme is protection of the individual physical and mental structure against external and internal influences that might dissolve and overwhelm it.” (Withers, 232) This is one of the hardest challenges faced by human beings as it is quite easy to give up personal choices in favor of popular culture and be lost in the maze of this system. Peer-pressure or social pressure emanating from various sources is not merely destructive to the creative process of learning but also creates a sense of dissatisfaction. Even if they abide by the accepted social or educational norms, they have to continually face inner conflict, which only breeds dissatisfaction and confusion. He urges them to realize what is important to them and prioritize their personal sense of fulfillment rather than something that is imposed on them, like preparing for SAT or other such exams. By referring to snails and oysters, the poet emphasizes upon developing resistance to external pressure and yielding to personal goals and aspirations, even if they are not confirmed by society. The message he conveys to the young generation is of self-discovery, as it opens new and hitherto unexplored avenues for them. The process of self discovery is antithesis of stagnation and decay, which is the natural end of abiding by social pressure and forgetting about the needs and desires of the self. The assessment test SAT is only used as a metaphor in this poem. It actually refers to all sorts of assessment tests ad tools that gauge students’ abilities according to different parameters. According to Hague, the only defining and guiding element in the lives of the students should be their inner self, personal goals and sense of achievements. They should never under any circumstances gauge their abilities according to their grades and follow traditions and norms blindly. In this poem, the poet presents a conflict between the inner-self versus social pressure and urges the students not to succumb to it. He presents a strategy with the help of which the students can carve out their own world. He asks them to refute all established laws whether they are of gravity or mathematical or related to history. In fact, he asks them to redefine the meanings of education and learning rather than simply believing in what has been passed on to them. The ironical situation of our education system is revealed in the irony employed in this poem: ´blame your successes´ (6) and ´rotten luck´ (8) are two fine examples in this regard. Hague plays with irony and conflict to convince the students that by blindly following others, they would lose sight of their personal goals. Hague wants the students to be creative and innovative instead of relying on the established theories and principles of law. His suggestions might apparently sound unreasonable but the real aim of the poet is to make the students realize their own worth. He encourages them not to assess their skills or knowledge according to assessment tools like SAT, etc. Rather, he wants them to gauge their skills according to their own standards. There is a message of freedom from the shackles of the existing system of education and various ways of assessment of the students. He invokes the feelings of revolt in the students against the prevailing system or the ways of the world. In this poem, the poet has raised several questions pertaining to personal freedom, freedom of choice, emancipation of the self and resisting social, peer or media pressures. The final statement of the strategies laid out by Hague clearly asks the students to ´make their own mark´ (16). He believes that one should take control of his\her own life and make such decisions that suit them, as our decisions can completely alter the meanings of our lives and thus, wrong decisions can make unimaginable and drastic impacts on our future lives. Work Cited Higgs, Robert J., Manning, Ambrose N. and Jim Wayne Miller, eds. Appalachia Inside Out: A Sequel to Voices from the Hills. Culture and Custom. Volume 2. USA: University of Tennessee Press, 1995. Print. Withers, Robert. Controversies in Analytical Psychology. East Sussex: Psychology Press, 2003. Print. Read More