Description
Analyze “Marriage of Many Years,” by Gioia, then answer each of the following questions with a short paragraph (100-150 words). Make sure you include textual evidence (quotes from the poem) to back up your statements.
(Worth 4 points. Questions are similar to the ones you will be asked on the essay exam, but the essay exam will ask for longer responses of varying lengths up to 400 words.)
Summary
Please summarize the poem here in a 1-2 sentences.
What is the story or experience that the poet is telling you, the reader, about?
How is the poem organized?
Is there a pattern or a rhyme scheme?
How many stanzas?
Diction (100 words)
Look closely at the words used in this poem.
Why did the poet choose these specific words?
Look up the definitions, but also consider the feelings the words evoke. (For example, if an author used “tiny,” why would they pick that word instead of “small”?)
What tone does the poet convey through his/her word choice?
What atmosphere is conveyed?
(Tone = the author’s attitude towards the subject matter of the poem, the people, places, things, or situation. Atmosphere/mood = the feeling you, the reader, gets from the poem.)
Discuss at least 3 observations about diction.
Imagery & Symbolism (100 words)
What images does the author convey to the reader? What details does he/she focus on?
What might some of these images symbolize? (For example, depending on the context, a red apple might symbolize Original Sin and Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It might be a reference to Snow White, or it could be both.) Discuss at least 3 observations about images.
Meaning/Message (100-150 words)
What is the deeper meaning or message of this poem?
What is the author trying to tell us about life?
Explain your interpretation of this poem, with at least two examples from the text to back it up.
Explain why these examples back up your theme.