Looking at Poetry

1. Looking at Poetry

2. Objective To gain an understanding of poetic conventions and meaning, as well as applying your knowledge. To achieve this objective, you will need to take out pen/pencil and paper so that we can write down some notes. Try to get it all down, but if you do not, you will still be able to have this information in front of you later.

3. TP-DASTT T � Title P � Paraphrase D � Devices A � Attitude (Tone) S � Shifts (Changes) T � Title T � Theme

4. Title Examine the title BEFORE you read the poem Jot down any thoughts about what the poem might be about � literally (just as it is written) or figuratively (thinking deeper).

5. Examine this title. What might a poem with this title be about?

6. Paraphrase Translate the poem into your OWN WORDS. You should rewrite it at the LITERAL level. That means just sticking to what is said. Don�t try to interpret or figure it out yet.

7. Devices (This is the Hardest Step) Study the poem for the deeper meaning. Use any Poetic Devices you are aware of to explain HOW the devices affect or contribute to the meaning. Examples: Metaphors, simile, alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhyming, repetition You may have a hard time with this. That is OK. Try to begin with the rhyme and word choice.

8. Attitude (Tone) Discuss the speaker�s and the poet�s (they might be different) attitude toward the subject that they are addressing in the poem. Also, look at the attitude toward the audience. Focusing on certain diction (words the poet uses) can indicate the attitude/tone.

9. Shifts (Progression) Many poems offer two tones or two viewpoints. Many times the change from one to the other (a Shift) is not easy to spot. Again, look for key words (but, yet, however, although�) Punctuation often indicates a Shift The way stanzas (sections of the poem) and lines are arranged. They may change length. We will look for other ways to find a Shift later.

10. Title (Again) Reexamine the Title. This time, look at it from a deeper (Interpretative) level. Think hard about what it could mean and its significance.

11. Theme Remember, Theme is a universal statement about the human experience. For Theme, start by summarizing the facts of the poem. Then, complete this sentence: This is a poem about ________? When you first try this, you might think it is an obvious answer, clearly stated. As you get better at this, you will try to think deeper and come up with an abstract (not so obvious) answer.

12. A Rose That Grew From Concrete

13. A Rose That Grew From Concrete by Tupac Shakur Did you hear about the rose that grewfrom a crack in the concrete?  Proving nature's law is wrong it learned to walk with out having feet.  Funny it seems, but by keeping it's dreams, it learned to breathe fresh air.  Long live the rose that grew from concretewhen no one else ever cared. 

14. Practice When I say go, you are going to get in groups of THREE or FOUR � no more, no less. You will be taking the packets I give you and trying the TP-DASTT method for each poem in the packet. Each group will turn in answers on one paper with everyone�s name on it.

15. GO!!!!!!!!