The precision of poetry - Essay Example

Q3. Naomi Shihab Nye Introduction It is obvious that literature has a profound impact on the society and Naomi Shihab Nye’s poem “famous” is not an exception. In her poem, she uses various literary devices such as smiles, metaphors, anaphora and assonance, which make her work engaging and interesting to read on. It is without doubt that the stylistic devices have helped to bring out the themes of the poem, which are relevant to the world today.Literary aspects used by Naomi NyeNye in her poem “famous” uses various stylistic devices.

For instance, she uses metaphor in the fifth stanza and says, “the idea you carry close to your bossom is famous to your bossom” (Nye). The poet compares the idea to something that is immensely treasured since it is held close to the heart or the bossom. It also reveals that something can be famous not because of its monetary value but due to personal worth.There is also the use of anaphora whereby the word famous is repeated throughout the poem to draw on the theme of the poem. Repetition is also used to give emphasis in the second and fourth line of the seventh stanza where the word ‘smile’ has been repeated to draw attention on how trivial acts of love and kindness can have an impact on someone (Nye).

She also uses a simile in the fourth line of the eighth stanza where she asserts, “famous as the one who smiled back.” The line compares one’s smile and being famous, showing the value of a smile and acting in kindness.Finally, the poet uses masterful word choices with the help of symbolism and assonance. In the former, she says she would like to be famous just like the buttonhole. The buttonhole is a symbol that stands for something insignificant yet important, revealing that things often overlooked can be essential.

She also uses assonance and in the sixth stanza she avows,” the boot is famous to the earth, more famous than the dress shoe, which is famous only to floors” (Nye).In the lines, the assonance connect the shoe and the boot to show their difference. Dress and shoes are usually clean whereas the boots are dirty and muddy. The use of assonance helps in showing how something that is of less value can be significant. Relevance of the Poem’s theme to the WorldThe poem has various themes that can be linked to the world in the modern era such as man and the natural world and ethics.

Nye wants people to look hard and long on what they often overlook. The modern society is usually obsessed with insignificant and superficial elements of things they consider as famous. In that case, Nye reminds her readers that they should not take too much consideration on issues regarding celebrity but rather should focus on helping the less fortunate such as the elderly widow who lives across the street (Nye). She constantly reminds people that they can make an immense impact if they focused on appreciating the trivial issues of life.

Impact of Literature on the Larger WorldAccording to Justice (18-21), literature has an immense significance to the world. It makes people think critically about the important things in life and unites people from different religions, backgrounds, and culture to share experiences, ideas, and make the world a better place. Moreover, when a person relates through literature, it makes people certain that they are not alone and other people have gone through similar issues. On the same note, readers get to know how they ought to live as well as how other cultures live.

For instance, in the poem “famous”, the poet reveals some of the issues that people consider as important and how everyone wants to associate with celebrities and famous people. Nye advises her readers to focus on important things such as helping others since they go a long way in making an immense impact in other people’s lives. ConclusionIt is undoubtedly that literature has an immense impact on people’s lives. Nye uses stylistic devises such as metaphors, similes, and imagery among others to grab the attention of the readers and to ensure easy comprehension.

The theme of her poem, “famous” is relevant to the society since it encourages people to focus on helping others and shun away from unimportant issues such as celebrity life. Works CitedJustice, George. The Manufacturers of Literature: Writing and the Literary Marketplace in the Eighteenth-Century England. New Jersey: University of Delaware Press, 2002.Nye, Naomi. Famous, 2014. Web. 13th March 2014