Getting Out

"Taking hands, we walked apart, until our arms stretched between us. We held on tight, and let go."


Begging with the simile "that year we hardly slept, waking like inmates", the poem immediately establishes the relationship of the couple. I think the inmates is referring to inmates of a mental hospital because of it describes them as those "who beat the walls" and the poem gives off a feeling of confinement. I think the author's tone at first is bitter. She is describing how annoyed the two were at each other with "we gave up" and "you tried to pack up and go". I think the speaker is blaming both of them for messing up the marriage. The last line of the second stanza states, "Finally locked into blame, we paced that short hall, heaving words like furniture." They both knew that their marriage wasn't working out and the simile "heaving words like furniture" gives off a sense that the couple was starting to develop a strong dislike for each other. The tone then shifts to a more distressed tone. The line "I'm startled by mean who look like you" means to me that the speaker is sad about the breakup and still gets anxious when she sees men who look like her ex-husband. The last line of the poem which is written above kind of summarizes the whole poem to me. It seems that the couple was naive and not emotionally mature enough for a serious relationship. When they were with each other, they were unhappy and annoyed at their confinement. However, once they gave up on their relationship, they couldn't seem to let go. 

Dover Beach

"The Sea of Faith
Was once, too, at the full, and round earth's shore
Lay like the folds of a girdle furled"


I think this poem is all bout the loss of faith and trying to get it back. The simile above is comparing how faith used to be present in the world to the folds of a girdle furled. I didn't know what girdle or furled was but I looked them up and a girdle is a light corset and furled is rolled tightly. I think this means that faith used to be extremely present in the world and was held tightly and regarded as important by people. However, now faith is lost. The speaker says "I only hear its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar, retreating to the breath of the night-wind". The departing diction of "withdrawing" and "retreating" show how the faith of the people is slowly declining. I feel like the speaker may be addressing a group or people or making a speech of some kind. The last three lines of the poem talk about the "struggle and flight where innocent armies clash by night". I think the speaker is using the armies as a metaphor for what will happen to the people the speaker is addressing if they don't regain their faith. Another simile is used to compare the world to a "land of dreams". It's like the people have these big dreams and they look promising, but they can't fulfill them because of their lack of faith. 

Barbie Doll

This poem was kind of amusing and kind of serious at the same time. I felt bad for laughing but I couldn't help it at the lines, "Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said: You have a great big nose and fat legs." Although I thought that line was funny, it is actually very true especially in today's society. I think this poem is all about the pressue to be perfect. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the girl in this poem, "she was healthy, tested intelligent, possessed strong arms and back". However, "she went to and fro apologizing. Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs." It is so sad that all anyone cares about is looks and the girl couldn't get passed her insecurities about her looks. Society was telling her to "play coy" and "exercise, diet, smile and wheedle" instead of promoting her strong features.
One simile in the poem really represented the theme for me. It says, "Her good nature wore out like a fan belt". I wasn't sure what a fan belt was but I looked it up and it is in a car or vacuum and wears out after being used. I think this simile is extremely effective because it really puts this girl's life into perspective. She was being advised to be fake like a barbie doll and she was pretending to be something that she wasn't. It wore her down until she was gone completely.

The Panther

This was another poem where I was unsure of the overall meaning, but I did notice things. The main thing I want to point out is the simile the author uses. He states, "the movement of his powerful soft strides is like a ritual dance around a center". When I think of a ritual dance, I think of a tribe of Native Americans dancing around a fire. That may be a stereotype but that is what comes to my mind. I think this simile is effective because it clarifies that fact that this panther cannot escape. A ritual dance is a routine of some sort and the movements have to be done just right. I think this poem contains a tone of panic. The line "a thousand bars; and behind the bars, no world" seem to me like the panther is trapped and can't escape. But escape from what? That is the question. Another phrase "the curtain of the pupils lifts, quietly" symbolize the panther's eyes opening. This means that the whole first stanzas could be existing inside of a dream or within the mind. The poem also makes me think that the setting is a prison, with the "passing bars" and "no world" behind them. But then why would a panther be at a prison?

From Darkness to Light-1

"Embryos are like photograph film," said Mr. Foster waggishly, as he pushed open the second door. "They can only stand red light." (Brave New World, page 11)


In this simile, Mr. Foster is comparing embryos to photograph film. I think this simile is effective because the idea of fertilization, embryos, and mass production can get confusing and photograph film is a universal term that all readers will be able to comprehend. The author goes on to explain that the students had been in darkness but now a "visible and crimson" light exposed the embryos. Photograph film can not be seen until it is under red light. Just as photographers take great interest in their photos and manipulate them into the work of art they want, the scientists are manipulating the embryos into what they want. I think the author also uses this simile because it shows how Mr. Foster is trying to help the students understand what is taking place at the centre. He doesn't expect the students to fully grasp what kind of work goes on, and I don't think he or the Director wants the students to know every little detail about what they are doing to the embryos. By comparing the embryos to photograph film, Mr. Foster is downplaying the harsh truths about how much the workers are manipulating the embryos.