The Tool of Figurative Language - Book Report/Review Example

[Th uthr's Nm] [Th Prfssr's Nm] [Th Curs Ttl] [Dt] My nglu's Us f Symblsm Ths ppr dscusss th tl f fgurtv lngug s usd by My nglu n hr wrks frm th symblc prspctv. Ltrry gnuss sy r wrt n dlct, ntllctul nd ntllgnt mnnr s th rdr my njy th mssg n mr csttc nd frnzy wy. Th ppr wuld cvr dffrnt wrks f My nglu t llustrt th xstng xmpls f hr us f symblsm. My nglu bcm ntnlly knwn n 1993 whn sh rd hr nugurl pm "n Th Puls f Th Mrnng" t Prsdnt Bll Clntn's nugurtn. Sh hs wrttn fv utbgrphs but th n tht sh s mst rcgnzd fr s " Knw Why th Cgd Brd sngs." Ths prtculr utbgrphy gt hr nmntd fr th Ntnl Bk wrd. Th fct tht My nglu spks Frnch, Spnsh, tln nd Wst frcn Fnt md hr jurnys utsd f tht Untd Stts much sr fr hr cnsdrng tht sh ws gn fr such lng prd f tm. nglu's jurnys utsd f mrc bgn n 1961 whn My mvd t Cr, gypt whr sh lvd fr tw yrs nd srvd s th ssct dtr fr th rb bsrvr, th nly nglsh nwsppr n th Mddl st t tht tm. (Gttlb, 90) Thn n 1963, sh mvd frm gypt t Ghn nd th yr ftr sh strtd wrk s th ftur dtr f th frcn Rvw, whr sh styd untl 1966, whn sh rturnd t th Untd Stts. n nglu's wrtngs sh mbrcs th pltcl ssus cncrnng frcn mrcns nd tht s wht mny crtcs prs hr but vn thugh sh hs mstrd th rt f wrtng. nglu tks n pltcl nd scl ssus mprtnt t frcn mrcns n hr ptry nd chllngs th sncrty f trdtnl vlus. (Jrdn, 72) My's pm, Stll Rs s n tht rss up frcn mrcns nd wmn lk. t sys tht vn thugh w hv bn shvd dwn nt th drt w rs bv ll f th htrd nd shm tht s mny ppl hv ld upn us. Sh sys n hr pm "yu my trd m n th vry drt but stll. Lk dust, 'll rs." Sh s syng tht n mttr hw fr dwn yu shv us, mnng blcks nd wmn, w wll rs bv nd bynd th ccsn, sh ls sks, "dd yu wnt t s m brkn Bwd hd nd lwrd ys" s f sh wr syng tht vn thugh yu wntd us t ct lk lwr clss ctzns nd slvs t ur mstrs w fught bck lk " blck cn, lpng nd wd." My dscrbs hrslf s "th drm nd th hp f slv" bcus n hr mnd w tdy r lvng ut th drms f ur ncstrs nd th hps f ur ncstrs. Just by bng bl t st dwn nd t whrvr w wnt nd wrk fr mny tht w cn d nythng w wnt wth, w tdy r lvng th drms f ur ncstrs nd much mr. My uss symblsm n Phnmnl Wmn by dscrbng th mn s hv f hny bs s thy swrm rund hr whn sh cms nt rm. Thrughut th pm, sh trs t xpln tht t's n hr hps, hr stp, hr lps, hr ys, tth, wst nd ft. (Tnn, 95) Th mny undrlyng tns nd pssbl thms tht r mpld by crtn dscrptns gt th rdr lkng dpr nt th tru mnng f th pm. Th mn fcus, hwvr, s n th Untd Stts s whl wth multpl symblc rprsnttns, th dmnnc f th gvrnmnt, nd th ffct n th chldrn bng brn nt ths lfstyl. (McPhrsn, 119) Sh ls supprts nd dvlps hr ds wth mny dffrnt ltrry tchnqus lk symblsm nd smls. Wth tht bsc d f whr My nglu s gng wth ths pm, th ltrry tchnqus nd wrtng styl cn b nlyzd lttl furthr nd ppld t th mn d nd mssg f th pm. Th tn nd dctn f th pm, usd n cnjunctn, s n f th mr ntcbl tchnqus tht nglu uss t strngthn th pm. Th tn f th pm shws fr nd dp cncrn tht rs mng ppl s drct rsult f crtn ctns f th gvrnmnt. nglu's dctn r chc f wrds, fr crtn dscrptns s vry clvrly chsn nd pwrful. Such phrss s: "Trmrs f yur ntwrk," "Yur pn muth n ngr," "bltrt th sprng," nd "yur mushrms fll th sky," ll cntrbut t th strngth f th pm. ls, sngl wrds n ch f th stnzs hv th sm ffct wth trms lk curss, psnd, grm, drd, nd thrtnd, trrr, nd fr. (Curtny-Clrk, 31) Thr r ls sm lmnts f symblsm tht cn b ntcd, whch n ths pm hlps supprt th mn d mstly n lrgr scl. Th muth s usd n th frst stnz s symbl t shw tht th cmmunctn btwn Untd Stts nd ts' ppl s n f ngtvty, spclly whn xprssd fr n th sm ln. Th us f th sky, n ths cs whr t s flld wth mushrm cluds, shws th dmntn nd cntrl th U.S. hs, bng tht th sky s bv vrythng. (Phllps, 41) n th lst stnz, th "whtnd cstls" shw th nfrrty nd sclusn f th cmmn ppl t th gvrnmnt n tht th cstl s symbl f nclsur. (Kyn, 25) n thr wrks f ltrtur th cstl cn b sn s frtrss, whch hlds n mnus prsn r grup, nd s smtms trgt t b vrthrwn. (Hughs, 850) Ths cn ls b ntd s drct symblcl cmprsn t crtn buldngs n Wshngtn D.C. whr gvrnmnt rgnztns mt nd d busnss. Th Wht Hus, Cptl Hll, nd thr stblshmnts ll pply t ths thry, nd r wht n clr s wll. n th lst stnz, My nglu rlly drvs hr pnt hm usng th chldrn f th Untd Stts s n utlt fr hr mssg. Ths prt f th pm ls dvlps th uthr nd rdr's rltnshp by cusng th rdr t sympthz wth hr vwpnts. Ths stnz dscrbs tht th currnt stutn s tht chldrn r bng brn nt n ngng prblm f gvrnmnt dmnnc. (Culthrd, 4) Ths s dscrbd n th phrss "Thr nghts r thrtnd dly/by grm nhrtnc," nd "cnnt hr th curss/whch fll yur chldrn's thrts." vrll, th pm "Ths Yt t b Untd Stts," by My nglu, cnvys th mssg tht th gvrnmnt n th U.S. cuss ntrnl prblms fr ts ctzns nd t s n gng cycl tht cntnus s nw chldrn r brn nt th cuntry. Wth hr us f symblsm, tn, dctn, nd th rltnshp, whch sh crts btwn th rdr nd th wrtr, hr mssg s cnvyd vry pwrfully nd wth mr mpct. (Brxtn, 66) Mst chldrn f My's g hv nt vn yt ncuntrd th wht rc ntrly, whrs My lrdy pcturs thm s symbl f buty. "n Stmps th sgrgtn ws s cmplt tht mst Blck chldrn ddn't rlly, bslutly knw wht whts lkd lk" (nglu 835). My sw thrugh ths nvty nd flt th dscurgng ffcts f rcsm nd sgrgtn tht ffctd hr cnscnc nd hr utlk twrds hrslf nd th wrld. Ths thught frshdws th dsttutn My wll fc thrughut lf. Frm ths, My bgns t thnk f hr dntty s dsgrc r dshnr. (Blm, 118) Ths s smthng sh s frcd t hnrbly ccpt nd cnqur fr th rst f hr lf. My's dsplcmnt nd dslctn s nthr crucl lmnt tht sh fll vctm t, whch s ls mmdtly sttd n th pnng scn f nglu's bk. (Grumbch, 47) Btwn th rugh gs f thr nd sxtn, My nd hr brthr wr shuffld rund t mny plcs nd surrundngs, nvr hvng stbl hm lf. My fls ut f plc grwng up prmrly bcus whn sh ws but thr yrs ld, hr prnts snt hr wy t lv wth hr grndmthr nd hr uncl. Ths rly sprtn, s wll s mny subsqunt thrs, lvs My flng rtlss nd tnrnt fr mst f hr chldhd. "f grwng up s pnful fr th Suthrn Blck grl, bng wr f hr dsplcmnt s th rust n th rzr tht thrtns th thrt" (nglu 834). Th ln, " ddn't cm t sty" (nglu 841), t th bgnnng f th frst scn, clrly prtrys My's ngtv nd unnthusstc flngs but hr dsplcmnt nd shft f hms. Th pnng scn f Knw Why th Cgd Brd Sngs rprsnts dpr truth thn th y frst mts. Th ky lns "Wht yu lkng t m fr" nd " ddn't cm t sty..." (nglu 841), nt nly rprsnt th pm My s rctng fr hr church, but ls My's lflng lssns nd hrdshps sh hs t vrcm nd prvl. Th mjr ssus f hr pprnc nd hr dsplcmnt ply strng nd cnvncng rl thrughut hr chldhd. Thy ls prv t b th vrcmng strngth ndd fr hr survvl. (Chrstn, 21) n th pnng scn, My scps nd fls frm th church nd hr humltng nd mbrrssng mmnt. Hr scp rprsnts nd frshdws th fct tht sh dd ndd vrcm hr tms f struggl nd hrdshp. (Luptn, 5) My fnlly ds nt blm hrslf fr bng uprtd nd trn btwn hms s chld. Sh ccpts hrslf s prsn, fr wh sh rlly s, nd nt wht scty r nyn ls thnks r clms sh shuld b. Ths juxtpstn s vry mprtnt s t hlps us t undrstnd th cnnctn btwn th fr nd th nslvd. (Burr, 79) n fct th cgd brd s s dsprt t scp tht vn ts 'shdw shuts'-tht pr f hm whch hs n mtrl xstnc f ts wn s cllng fr hlp, nd ths s th rlty f th vctms f pprssn. (Sundrs, 88) Whl th fr brd (scty) njys s much frdm, t sn bgns t cut upn th rghts f thrs- wh bcm lk th cgd brd. Thy r sn mprsnd physclly nd mtnlly. (Hltn,75) n ll f th bv strs yu cn s tht n whtvr gnrtns w lv n w ll fc smlr stutns s w r grwng frm dlscnts t dult. W ll rcll whn w wr trnsfrmng nt dults t ur grdutn. Th xctmnt nd ntcptn w flt n cnqurng th wrld nd mvng n. (Jqun, 110) ls w hv ll hd tht frst crush nd th dsr t pls smn s tht thy wll lk us. W ll rmmbr th hurt nd th dsppntmnt w ll flt whn w wr unbl t cm thrugh n ur prms. (Nlsn, 62) n th lst stutn w hv ll xpctd t wn nd hv bn lt dwn by nt wnnng, r hv bn dsppntd t lrn tht prmtn ws gvn t smn ls wh my hv r hv nt dsrvd tht prmtn but fr n rsn r nthr rcvd th prs nd nt urslvs. Ths xprncs ls trnscnd tm nd cultur t ffct ll f us t sm pnt r nthr n ur lvs. W s grup njyd ths prjct nd hd fun rmnscng n ur wn lf's xprncs tht ths n th stry hv tuchd. Wrks Ctd nglu, My. (2001). Grdutn. n S. Brnt, W, Burt, W.. Cn & M. Stubbs (ds), Ltrtur fr cmpstn: ssys, fctn, ptry, nd drm (6th d.). (pp 834-841). Nw Yrk: Lngmn. Blm, Hrld, d. My nglu's Knw Why th Cgd Brd Sngs. Phldlph, P: Chls Hus, 1998. Brxtn, Jnn M. "My nglu 1928-. Mdrn mrcn Wmn Wrtrs. " Chrls Scrbnr's Sns. 1991 Burr, Zf. f Wmn, Ptry, nd Pwr: Strtgs f ddrss n Dcknsn, Mls, Brks, Lrd, nd nglu. Urbn: U f llns Prss, 2002. Chrstn, Brbr T. "nglu." Cntmprry uthrs: Nw Rvsn Srs: Vlum 19: 1987. Culthrd, .R. "Ptry s Pltcs: My nglu's nugurl Pm, "n th Puls f Mrnng". Nts n Cntmprry Ltrtur 28.1 (1998): 2-5. Curtny-Clrk, Mrgrt. My nglu: Th Ptry f Lvng. Frwrd by prh Wnfry. Nw Yrk: C. Pttr, 1999. Gttlb, nn. "nglu: Cntmprry uthrs. Nw Rvsn Srs. Vlum 19. 1987. Grumbch, Drs. "My nglu 4 prl 1928 "Cntmprry Ltrry Crtcsm. Gl Rsrch Cmpny. Vlum 12. 1980. Hltn, ls. "Sngbrd: My nglu Tks nthr Lk t Hrslf. " Nw Yrkr 78.22 (ug. 5, 2002): 72-76. Hughs, Lngstn. (2001). n Frdy Mrnng. n S. Brnt, W, Burt, W.. Cn & M. Stubbs (ds), Ltrtur fr cmpstn: ssys, fctn, ptry, nd drm (6th d.). (pp 847-852). Nw Yrk: Lngmn. Jqun, ln . "My nglu 1928." frcn mrcn utbgrphrs: Surc Bk. d. mmnul S. Nlsn. Wstprt, CT: Grnwd Prss, 2002. Jrdn, Jun. "My nglu 4 prl 1928. " Cntmprry Ltrry Crtcsm. Gl Rsrch Cmpny. Vlum 12. 1980. Kyn, Sphkz nd Rsmry Gry. "Grwng Up wth My nglu nd Sndw Mgn: Cmprsn. " nglsh n frc 29.1 (2002): 85-98. Luptn, Mry Jn. My nglu: Crtcl Cmpnn. Wstprt, CT: Grnwd Prss, 1998. McPhrsn, Dlly . rdr ut f Chs: Th utbgrphcl Wrks f My nglu. Nw Yrk: P. Lng, 1990. Nlsn, lln P. "My nglu 4 prl 1928:" Cntmprry Ltrry Crtcsm. Gl Rsrch Cmpny. Vlum 12. 1980. Phllps, Frnk L. "My nglu 4 prl 1928: Cntmprry Ltrry Crtcsm. Gl Rsrch Cmpny. Vlum 12. 1980. Sundrs, Jms Rbrt. "Brkng ut f th Cg: Th utbgrphcl Wrtngs f My nglu."Twyn Cmpnn t Cntmprry Ltrtur n nglsh. d. R.H.W. Dllrd nd mnd Cckrll. Nw Yrk: Twyn--Thmsn Gl, 2002. Tnn, Wlls. "My nglu. " Th Hstry f Suthrn Wmn's Ltrtur. d. Crlyn Prry nd Mry Lus Wks. Btn Rug, L: Lusn Stt UP, 2002. Read More