Elements of Style in Atwoods February - Book Report/Review Example

Elements of Style in Atwood’s “February” Margaret Atwood in her poem “February” effectively uses various elementssuch as tone, diction, metaphor, symbolism, and irony to expand on the themes of the difficult conditions of winter and other social problems while also creating a feeling of hope at the heart of the poem’s meaning. The meaning of the poem is embedded in the elements of symbolism and a range of devices that cogently illustrate the themes of love, hope, despair, and expectation. The poet also uses tone and diction to illustrate her feelings on some of the issues tackled in the poem including environmental degradation, population explosion, greed, and other issues that are captured within the poem. The various poetic elements work in harmony to challenge the structures and systems in society on which the negative aspects identified in the poem are anchored. Imagery and symbolism feature in various lines of the poem to condense meaning in ways that offer a deeper understanding of the manner in which certain aspects in the poem work together to build the general impression of the poem. For instance the words “French fries,” “vinegar,” and “Spring” as used in the twenty seventh, twenty eighth, thirty fourth lines respectively bring out the meanings of good life, bitterness, and hope respectively. French fries usually denote the essence of youthfulness and vibrancy usually connected with warmer and friendlier seasons such spring. Usually, it is a meal that expresses a certain level enthusiasm and hopefulness. The food also captures the meaning of abundance and youthful recklessness. The symbolic connections of the French fries underlines the desire for better times signaling the fact that the poet does not like the kind of situation that prevails at the time of writing the poem. The obvious displeasure is further enhanced by the symbol of “vinegar” which carries the meaning of bitterness, and “spring,” which conveys some sense of hope amid the difficulties of the moment. Symbolism as expressed within this poem works effectively with tone and diction to enhance the sense of loss that the author feels due to the various challenges that afflict her life. The use of simple diction in this poem serves the purpose of capturing a sense of openness and indignation against the various negative attributes that affect the society. The poet expresses a sense of disgust towards the aspects of social reality that manifest in the form of disorder and deviations from the norms are required in the society. Such themes are enriched by the kind of sarcasm, which the author projects towards the failure by human societies to control population explosion and the increasing levels of pollution that foul the atmosphere. For instance, the poet writes that “pollution pours out of chimneys to keep us warm,” (Atwood 24). The use of sarcasm is meant to lampoon a reckless society that prioritizes industrial development at the expense of human progress and environmental health. Another example of sarcasm features in the manner in which the poet suggests that humanity should learn from the sharks how to eat their young ones if it is entirely impossible to control population explosion. In this particular instance, the poet uses a direct simile; “or eats our young, like sharks,” (Atwood 18). The use of this simile effectively captured the feeling of frustration in the concern of a society falling into disorder and adversity due to lack of sufficient resources to cater for the ever-increasing human population. This reality is further enhanced in the use of personification in lines twenty and twenty-one where the poet assigns famine animate qualities; “famine/ crouches in the bed sheets, ambushing the pulsing,” (Atwood 21). In this manner, the various aspects of style and elements of poetry combine effectively and consistently to illustrate meaning and clarify on multiple concepts, which the poet captures within the poet. The element of sarcasm in this poem is effectively garnished with satire and irony for the purposes of lampooning and challenging deep-seated disorders that afflict the poet’s feelings. The use of light and casual diction in the poem cogently brings out the kind of unease and the near despair that gnaws at the bottom of the poet’s feeling. In a sense, the poem is diagnostic in the manner in which it attempts to capture reality from multiple perspectives and present them in a simple and casual manner. Much of the meaning of the poem is contained in the combination of the elements and the technical aspects, which enhance understanding and provoke the imagination of the reader. As such, it might be argued that the effectiveness of the message in this poem is a product of the various aspects of style and elements, which contain the underlying meanings that connect to the dominant themes of the poem. A noticeable characteristic about the poem is that it avoids complex words and instead uses simple vocabulary that is used effectively to build on meaning. Simple words lend themselves to easy understanding and capture reality in ways that are both representative and cogent in terms of meaning. The choice of diction used in the different parts of the poem has the effect of conjuring up certain images that raise the level of understanding on the part of the reader. The choice of diction is appropriate to the kind of meaning that the poem captures. The poem focusses on ordinary challenges and conditions, which affect the life of the poet and the society together with the difficult winter conditions. The simple and straightforward diction is further enhanced by the use of simple rhyming which enhances the understanding of the poem’s setting in terms of time and place. In essence, the poem is based on a range of factors that work in harmony to build on the inner meanings of the poem as intended by the author. The determination of the meaning within a poem requires an assessment of the value of the elements and the manner in which they combine with the technical aspects of the poem. As such, it becomes important to consider the manner in which the metaphors and diction are used in this poem to highlight on the poet’s perspectives on the identified social problems. The poet refers to the cat as a life principle. Applying a metaphorical meaning to the cat implies that that its purpose in the poem is more than its casual significance as a pet. The cat embodies life and productivity during the difficult winter times. It symbolizes some kind of a life force that might replace the frozen order of things. In the sixth line of the poem, the poet argues that the cat watches over her and jumps over her head in order to ascertain whether she is dead or alive. At the end of the poem, the poet refers to the same cat as the principle of life. As such, the cat represents an alternative to the norm. The norm in this poem is threatened by external realities such as pollution, the social challenges of population pressure, wars, famine, and other challenges that are captured within the poem. In this regard, it becomes necessary to consider the life of the cat as representative of some kind of new realm of existence that might offer some kind of example to the threatened humanity. The poem flows with an allusive tone that combines with imagery and symbolism to fulfill the thematic requirements at the heart of the poem. The poet avoids direct reference to matters and instead uses words that carry the weight of meaning in symbolic terms. Allusions are used to refer to the concepts of love conflict and adversity. Apart from enhancing the meaning of the poem, these allusions serve the purpose of enhancing the aesthetic qualities of the poem. This aspect particularly comes out through the choice of such words as “vinegar” and “spring,” which are garnished with effective symbolism. The tone of despair also features in various aspects of the poem, which illustrate the manner in which the poem addresses specific aspects of change in relation to social problems that afflict the social setting in which the poem was written. At some points of the poem, the poet employs the tone of disinterest to illustrate the loss of hope of reform and the impact of social problems on her life. Comparisons between humans and sharks capture such tone of disinterest in the sense that they highlight the coming to terms with the permanency of hopelessness as represented in the social challenges that afflict the society. Similarly, the tone appears to take the form of superficial in the illustration of the level of disorder and confusion that reigns in the society. The extended reference to the life of the cat and the assertion that it represents “the life principle” affirms the fact that humanity has fallen below the life of a cat in terms of order and importance. The superficial tone is meant to enhance the feeling of sarcasm, which flows through most of the poem. The choice of tone in the poem effectively complements other elements of poetry that work in harmony to expand on the literal and metaphoric meaning of the poem. Ultimately, Margaret Atwood uses a combination of elements in the poem to express her feelings on the various concerns and issues that feature within the thematic substance of the poem. The various elements such as metaphors, tone, diction, symbolism, and imagery work effectively to clarify on the subjects, and enhance on the aesthetic elements of the poem. The poem achieves internal consistency and harmony using various aspects of style that connect effectively with the underlying meanings as expressed in the poet’s feelings. Simple rhyming, first person point of view, and choice of free verse also work effectively to clarify on the themes and general meaning of the poem. The elements and technical aspects of the poem enhances the ease of understanding and builds and clarifies on the general flow of the poem. The choice of elements effectively served the purposes of meaning, aesthetics, and value. Works Cited Atwood, Margaret. February. Morning in the Burned House. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1995. Read More