Rules of Engagement: 1 - You must ADD ON to discussion. Do not repeat either what was said in class OR what someone else already posted about the poem you are discussing. 2 - Please indicate WHICH QUESTION you are answering in your response. 3 - Answer only ONE question. 4 - Make sure you answer ALL parts of that question--i.e. If it asks you to identify a poetic device like alliteration and connect to meaning, make sure you connect to meaning. :)
"A Noiseless Patient Spider" (p.15)
1. Identify one of our unit's themes in this poem and explain where you see it.
2. Choose one of the following devices, identify it in the poem, and connect to meaning: metaphor, alliteration, repetition, consonance, apostrophe, imagery
Question 2. "A Noiseless Patient Spider" by Walt Whitman has multiple different literary devices used throughout it. For example, when he says "a vacant vast surrounding;" most people would assume vacant being empty, and vast being a large area. In the context of the poem, he is describing life as a large hopeless place, and how we explore it every day. This was all in the form of an Allusion. The other literary device that stood out was also an allusion and it was where he said "till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere." It I see implied since the poem is about comparing a spiders life to a humans life, that the thread the spider uses to catch its prey is the exact same as us humans trying to catch oppertunities in life; to grab onto what matters to us most.
The poem "A Noiseless Patient Spider" by Walt Whitman relates the drives of a spider to what drives an American. The idea of individuality and independence is the foundation of our country, and in the first stanza Whitman says that he, as the spider, hangs "on a little promontory (he) stood isolated". In order to live a spider makes its web, and he's spinning his web on a small protruding area away from everyone else. Independently working to make a sturdy, but delicate life. Then in the second stanza he tells us that we, the spiders are "surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space". He tells us that even though: we have so much ability to work together, because we are surrounded, but we are so single minded, because we are detached from the rest of the world. As the spiders of America we value our individualism but in selfish ways even though we have so much accessibility to help and be helped.
Not sure if I'm allowed to use the same poem twice and provide different insight, but if so; the poem "A Noiseless Patient Spider" by Walt Whitman doesn't just provide allusion as it's only literary device to put emphasis on the poem. It also has a very clear example of imagery in the first line by making the reader picture "A noiseless patient spider." When the reader reads that line, they picture a little spider being as quiet as possible, just waiting for its next meal. This connects to us humans as having to be patient in life when it comes to looking for new opportunities, to not let our reckless nature set in and compromise those opportunities. This is compared to the spiders life where if it gets reckless and abandons its patience, it would surely not catch anything to eat and die. It may not be as harsh for humans to get reckless, but it would surely be a setback in life, than to just keep your cool and be patient like the spider.
Question #2 When reading the poem "A Noiseless Patient Spider," by Walt Whitman, It is clear there is a large metaphor implanted in the poem. The quote, "And you O my soul where you stand." Whitman is comparing his soul to the when a spider leaves a mark on the world, his web. As the reader we can assume, 'gossamer thread' is the web. Also, Whitman is also creating imagery throughout the poem to help the reader better understand the meaning. He uses this device countless times. Probably the most recognizable is when Whitman says, "Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them." The reader has no choice but to put a picture in there mind of what is trying to be described. The whole poem is filled with literary devices, however the two biggest that helped myself with understanding would have to be the metaphor and all of the imagery. The author successfully uses these literary devices to help insure the meaning of his poem is not lost.
Question 2. "A Noiseless Patient Spider" by Walt Whitman has multiple different literary devices used throughout it. For example, when he says "a vacant vast surrounding;" most people would assume vacant being empty, and vast being a large area. In the context of the poem, he is describing life as a large hopeless place, and how we explore it every day. This was all in the form of an Allusion. The other literary device that stood out was also an allusion and it was where he said "till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere." It I see implied since the poem is about comparing a spiders life to a humans life, that the thread the spider uses to catch its prey is the exact same as us humans trying to catch oppertunities in life; to grab onto what matters to us most.
ReplyDeleteIt is* autocorrect :/
DeleteThe poem "A Noiseless Patient Spider" by Walt Whitman relates the drives of a spider to what drives an American. The idea of individuality and independence is the foundation of our country, and in the first stanza Whitman says that he, as the spider, hangs "on a little promontory (he) stood isolated". In order to live a spider makes its web, and he's spinning his web on a small protruding area away from everyone else. Independently working to make a sturdy, but delicate life. Then in the second stanza he tells us that we, the spiders are "surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space". He tells us that even though: we have so much ability to work together, because we are surrounded, but we are so single minded, because we are detached from the rest of the world. As the spiders of America we value our individualism but in selfish ways even though we have so much accessibility to help and be helped.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if I'm allowed to use the same poem twice and provide different insight, but if so; the poem "A Noiseless Patient Spider" by Walt Whitman doesn't just provide allusion as it's only literary device to put emphasis on the poem. It also has a very clear example of imagery in the first line by making the reader picture "A noiseless patient spider." When the reader reads that line, they picture a little spider being as quiet as possible, just waiting for its next meal. This connects to us humans as having to be patient in life when it comes to looking for new opportunities, to not let our reckless nature set in and compromise those opportunities. This is compared to the spiders life where if it gets reckless and abandons its patience, it would surely not catch anything to eat and die. It may not be as harsh for humans to get reckless, but it would surely be a setback in life, than to just keep your cool and be patient like the spider.
ReplyDeleteQuestion #2
ReplyDeleteWhen reading the poem "A Noiseless Patient Spider," by Walt Whitman, It is clear there is a large metaphor implanted in the poem. The quote, "And you O my soul where you stand." Whitman is comparing his soul to the when a spider leaves a mark on the world, his web. As the reader we can assume, 'gossamer thread' is the web. Also, Whitman is also creating imagery throughout the poem to help the reader better understand the meaning. He uses this device countless times. Probably the most recognizable is when Whitman says, "Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them." The reader has no choice but to put a picture in there mind of what is trying to be described. The whole poem is filled with literary devices, however the two biggest that helped myself with understanding would have to be the metaphor and all of the imagery. The author successfully uses these literary devices to help insure the meaning of his poem is not lost.