"The Eagle" by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Fragment

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
Ring'd with the azure world, he stands.

The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.

Title: The title is specific to a single eagle. It isn’t “An Eagle,” but rather “The Eagle.” The

poem is about one specific bird. Eagles often are seen as majestic and powerful yet graceful.

Paraphrase: The eagle is on a cliff, high in the sky. The sea is moving below him and he

watches it from his perch. Then he falls.

Devices: The rhyme scheme of this poem is AAABBB, with all the lines in each stanza

rhyming. Despite the shift in rhyme, however, the poem is given a sense of continuity due to the fact that there are eight syllables in each line. This makes the poem very uniform and gives it a constant rhythm and flow. It makes me think of the soaring of an eagle, even though this one is perched the whole time. Each line of the poem, excluding the last one, has either assonance or alliteration. Because the last line lacks this trait, it is set apart. Its tone is different from the rest of the poem as well—it is more abrupt and features direct action—separating it even more from the rest of the poem. The first line of the poem has dissonance as well, setting up the scene as something unapproachable, like the eagle is too far away to really connect with. The eagle is like an old man, with his “crooked hands.” The sea, too, is described as a person as “wrinkled” like an old man and crawling like an infant. The comparison of the eagle to a thunderbolt connotes power and something of a surprise. 

Attitude: The speaker just seems to be observing this eagle. This observation is with some

reverence. The speaker notes the majesty, patience and power of the eagle as it stands aloft looking at the world.

Shifts: The first shift takes place between the first and second stanzas. The first stanza is

describing the eagle from some other viewer’s perspective. Some onlooker with their binoculars is describing what this eagle looks like to their friend. Then, there is another shift before the last line. Prior to this shift, the poem is from the eagle’s perspective, looking at the sea below him and him sitting, watching from his mountain wall. However, the last line is a little different, because it describes what the onlookers have been waiting for this eagle to do. It describes his action of diving—a more extreme action.

Title: The title of this poem really is just what the poem is about: an eagle. This eagle is

being observed and is observing his surroundings. He’s good at clinging to rocks, and at diving, probably for food. No where else in the poem is the word “eagle” mentioned, so this title is necessary in order for the reader to know what the poem is about. Also part of the title is the word “fragment,” which apparently means that it was never finished because the topic was too complex to go into complete detail on.

Theme/Total Meaning: A theme of this poem is that humans and nature are connected,

but not one. The eagle is obviously out of reach of anyone watching it, but they are still able to witness its majesty and be part of its journey from rock to sea. They are still able to be inspired by his strength and composure. 

"Break, break, break" by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Break, break, break,

         On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!

And I would that my tongue could utter

         The thoughts that arise in me.

O, well for the fisherman's boy,                                             5

         That he shouts with his sister at play!

O, well for the sailor lad,

         That he sings in his boat on the bay!

And the stately ships go on

         To their haven under the hill;                                             10

But O for the touch of a vanish'd hand,

         And the sound of a voice that is still!

Break, break, break

         At the foot of thy crags, O Sea!

But the tender grace of a day that is dead                                    15

         Will never come back to me.

Title: The title of the poem is just the first line. Maybe Tennyson was too grieved to come up

with a title, or perhaps he thought the first line would be fitting. The repetition of “break” makes it seem more intense. It’s very harsh and violent. It also implies a pattern or cycle, continuous force.

Paraphrase: The speaker is speaking to the Sea, wishing he could speak. He sees the children

playing and singing and ships go by, but what he really wants is to feel or hear the person that is no longer with him. The waves will always crash against the cliffs, but he will never see his friend again.

Devices: Repetition of “break” brings emphasis, creates feeling of an uncaring cycle that’s

forceful. Personification and apostrophe of the Sea makes the sea seem like a cruel observer of the grief the speaker is going through. The Sea doesn’t do anything and just continues on in its cycle with its “crags” and “cold gray stones.” The speaker uses paradoxes to describe his friend that is gone, (line 11-12) emphasizing the permanence of death and the hopeless yearning of the speaker for something impossible. Metonomy is also used in those lines. The meter of the poem is musical, creating a flowing sound which is further emphasized by the alliteration in some of the lines. The rhyme scheme is ABCB, making the stanzas sound a bit like crashing waves, and the look of the poem could also be seen as uneven, crashing waves.

Attitude: The speaker seems full of grief. His exclamations to the uncaring Sea hold his anger

and despair. He sees the children playing and singing and seems to wish he could do the same. He talks of them saying, “O, well for the…” like he wants to be as carefree as they are. Toward the “stately ships” going “to their haven under the hill” he seems resentful. They are just going on their way while he is there yearning for “the touch of a vanish’d hand,/ And the sound of a voice that is still!” Finally, the speaker seems to accept the fact that the person he lost will never come back to him, but he still is mournful that he has lost “the tender grace.”

Shifts: There is a shift after each stanza. The first stanza holds the speaker’s anger. He seems to

direct his anger at the sea, but also that he can’t say what he needs to. The next stanza is an observation of the children around the speaker playing and singing and the speaker seems envious of them. In the next stanza the speaker is noting that other people are just going on with their lives. He sounds a bit resentful that they can go to their “haven” while he will never again know the “touch of a vanish’d hand.” The last stanza is the speaker’s final thoughts. The repetition of “break, break, break” shows again the cycle of the sea and contrasts that with his friend that will never come back to him

Title: Again, the title shows the cycle and detachment of the waves. Their reoccurrence seems to

contrast with the ended life of his friend and they are insensitive to the speaker’s loss.

Theme/Total Meaning: One of the themes of this poem is that though grief may still be

prevalent, time passes and the rest of the world moves on. The speaker continues to think of and mourn his lost friend, but time passes and life goes on. The speaker seems to struggle with how long he should grieve his friend, but at the end he becomes resolved to the fact that his friend is gone, and maybe he, too, can continue with his life.

"Crossing the Bar" by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Sunset and evening star,

         And one clear call for me!

And may there be no moaning of the bar,

         When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,                                    5

         Too full for sound and foam,

When that which drew from the boundless deep

         Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,

         And after that the dark!                                                      10

And may there be no sadness of farewell,

         When I embark;

For though from out our bourne of Time and Place

         The flood may bear me far,

I hope to see my Pilot face to face                                             15

         When I have crossed the bar.

Title: Crossing implies some kind of journey. Bar could be some kind of threshold, or it could be

something the speaker wants to achieve, like “reaching the bar.” “The Bar” seems like something specific since it isn’t presented as a bar, but rather the bar. The speaker has a specific goal in mind: a journey to reach something or surpass something.

Paraphrase: The speaker is on a boat, watching the sunset and the stars come up in the sky. He’s

also watching the water, wanting it to be quiet. The sky grows darker and the speaker embarks on his journey, not wanting a sad goodbye.  His journey will take him beyond the known realm of time or place, but he hopes to see his “Pilot’s” face when he crosses the sand bar.

Devices: The symbolism of the sunset, then the dark sky represents the waning of the speaker’s life.

He is at the “twilight” of his life. “The bar,” (a sandbar—a build up of sand between the sea and the shore) is the extended metaphor throughout the poem and is a symbol for the division between life and death. The image of “crossing the bar” is crossing from life to death, from this known life to something unknown, outside of “our bourne of Time and Place.” The ship that the speaker is on is also a symbol, representing his life and his journey and the sea is the driving force of that. He also speaks of his “Pilot,” which might be interpreted as an image to represent God, the director of his life and who the speaker hopes to see “face to face” after he has died.  The rhyme scheme (ABAB) of the poem, as well as the length of the lines, contributes to the impression that it is like a wave. It flows and seems to undulate.

Attitude: The speaker seems resolved about his impending death. He has accepted that it will come.

He says, “When I put out to sea…When I embark…When I have crossed the bar.” He knows that it will happen and doesn’t seem anxious or pleading. It just is what it is and he approaches it very matter-of-factly. He does express some hope for the future, though. He hopes that there is no “moaning of the bar,” that the crossing into death will not be difficult. He hopes that “there be no sadness of farewell” and the he might “see [his] Pilot face to face.”

Shifts: There is a shift after each quatrain (stanza) of the poem, which represents the steps of his

journey toward dying. The first stanza is the beginning of his journey toward death. He still has some time, but he is beginning to think of it. The second stanza is more of a reflection on death. The tide comes soundlessly from the depths of the ocean and will return there after the death of the speaker. Death will always return. The third stanza is the speaker beginning to die. He thinks of those he’s leaving, but also seems ready to move on. The final stanza is the speaker’s approach to his death—the final step in his journey.

Title: “Crossing the bar” basically means dying. It is the speaker’s journey “crossing” from life into

death. He crosses the sandbar, which separates the sea of life from the sand of death.

Theme/Total Meaning: The total meaning of this poem is that death is inevitable. It isn’t

necessarily something to be afraid of or really anxious about because it is bound to come—it does for everyone. Even in death, there is still hope—hope that there is more to come.

Symbolism poem

Frames lay misshapen

Lenses jagged rejected

Turns the world into

Obscure shapes vague colors dimmed being

Searching wander

Crinkles smashes chirps yelps sound

But from where

Muddled world

Reunited: bridge to nose, bend to ear

Comprehension of details makes 

The world better perceived.

This poem isn't that great, but maybe with some explanation the meaning will be better understood. On a surface level, it's about glasses. The first stanza is the glasses being discarded on the ground and broken. The second stanza, as a result of the person not having glasses, is supposed to represent the blurry, confusing world, since the speaker can't see anything. In the third stanza, the glasses are taken back and put on again, giving the speaker to ability to see. The glasses in this poem are a symbol of a Christian worldview, or really any worldview I suppose. When forgotten or damaged, it can leave you in confusion and despair because you can't find an explanation for anything, nothing seems to make sense. However, if you return to your (Christian) worldview, you'll be able to see a little more clearly because you can find an explanation for things.

Death of a Salesman blog

Character
In my opinion, Biff is the most interesting character. He goes through struggles just like the rest of his family, but the difference with him is that he learns from them. Biff is the only character who really finds himself and realizes that the "American Dream" his father and brother are chasing can end in nothing but disaster. Biff shows contempt for the standard nine to five, business world, busy lifestyle. He says, "To suffer fifty weeks of the year for the sake of a two-week vacation, when all you really desire is to be outdoors, with your shirt off. And always to have to get ahead of the next fella. And still--that's how you build a future" (30). Yet this is the American Dream of the time: working your way up through by your business endeavors, making as much money as you can. Despite his dislike for this lifestyle, Biff says that every spring he thinks, "What the hell am I doing, playing around with horses, twenty-eight dollars a week! I'm thirty-four years old, I oughta be makin' my future" (31). He struggles with whether he should do what he loves, or what he thinks will build a future for himself. Biff is confined by the current American Dream that is forced upon him by society, as well as by his parents. Linda, Biff's mother, tells him, "Biff, [your father's] life is in your hands!" (63). To this, Biff responds, "I've been remiss. I know that, Mom. But now I'll stay, and I swear to you, I'll apply myself. Kneeling in front of her, in a fever of self-reproach: It's just--you see, Mom, I don't fit in business. Not that I won't try. I'll try, and I'll make good" (63). Biff's struggle is epitomized in this quote. He wants to help his family (mostly his mother) and is sure that he has potential at something, however, he knows that he just isn't cut out for business. He hates himself for this, for failing his family, but there really isn't anything he can do. Yet he swears that he will try. He'll try to uphold the Dream that he was never meant for. Finally, Biff comes to terms with the fact that his dream is different from that of his family. He realizes what it is that he wants:
I stopped in the middle of that building and saw--the sky. I saw the things that I love in this world. The  
work and the food and time to sit and smoke. And I looked at the pen and said to myself, what the hell am I grabbing this for? Why am I trying to become what I don't want to be? What am I doing in an
office, making a contemptuous, begging fool of myself, when all I want is to be out there, waiting for
me the minute I say I know who I am! Why can't I say that, Willy? (124, 125)
Biff finds himself and openly declares that his dream is not to be stuck in some office, but to be outside. The American Dream that he imagines is one where he is free to use his time as he pleases and to work as he pleases. Once Biff accepts this, he is able to fully realize the despair that his family is in because they've been chasing the popular American Dream and it has continued to elude them, showing that they were not cut out to achieve it. Biff begs his father to "take that phony dream and burn it before something happens" (125) but Willy won't and that gets to him in the end. Biff struggles with what his dream is because it is so different from that of his parents, but in the end, he realizes his dream is one of freedom and open air and not to be confined in an office or even a car. With this realization, he is able to go after his dream with much better prospects of success than he would have had if he had followed in his father's footsteps.


Work as a Whole
Biff's struggle highlights the theme that the truth is what will free them from their continuing despair of failure. When Biff admits that he "don't fit in business" (63) and realizes he wants to be "out there, waiting for [him] the minute [he says] I know who I am!" (125) that's when he can really face his dreams and achieve them. Biff knows that Willy is a liar and wants him to realize it too and change his ways so as to be enlightened like Biff. Willy's endless lies regarding his job, his mistress, his abilities, have sent him into a tailspin and his refusal to admit his failures leads him to his demise.

My American Dream

"You know that feeling where you try really hard to think of something, yet your mind remains completely blank? Yeah, well that’s how it was for me trying to start this project. This is a glimpse of what my thought process was leading up to this: “So, what is my dream? Well… um…. Ok well what do I want to be? A nurse? Maybe. A teacher? I don’t know. Maybe a different approach would be better. Is there anything I’ve always wanted to do? I’m not sure skydiving could fill a whole essay…” On and on it went, ideas rising up on waves only to be dashed as they hit the rocks of my realism. Every time I “try out” another goal, something happens to make me decide that it is either insufficient or unattainable. However, I have recently had an epiphany: My dream does not need to fit the criteria of what other people think a dream should be--there really aren’t any standards. It doesn’t need some intense, grueling process that has to occur in order for it to be achieved, or a dramatic end point from which I can look back and say, “Yes! I achieved my goal!” From this realization I was able to shape my new dream for my life. Although in comparison to most “dreams” it is incredibly anticlimactic, I think it is equally important. My dream, simply put, is to be brave. I want to live each day with the courage to proudly proclaim my beliefs, go out of my comfort zone to help someone, live in order to please Christ rather than my peers, defy stereotypes, actively seek God’s will for my life. Now, I know this will be difficult, considering it is completely against my human nature, but I think that through much prayer, reading the Bible and making a daily choice to follow the prompting of God, rather than the world, it can be achieved."

This was the intro to my dream essay from last year. I know it isn't really an "American Dream," but I think it still is mine. I still don't know what I want to do with my life, or what legacy I want to leave. The only thing I can do is take life one day at a time and be brave enough to live for Christ, and to move forward without regrets. I think that is what I would add to the topic of this essay: to move forward without regrets. It takes a certain amount of courage to continue onward and accept that there is nothing we can do about the past, nothing we can change. It takes a certain amount of courage to let go. Being brave is scary--I'm sure I'll have to stand up to people and stand up for people--but I think it will be more than worth the cost.

New Year's Eve walk: a reflection on 2011

These are the pictures I took on my New Year's Eve day walk and the ideas or thoughts that I associated with each image as I captured it. They don't all fit into a single category and may not seem to correlate at all, but maybe that reflects my year. I don't know if I can say I've learned one big idea, but rather become more sensitive to several, smaller ideas. These are the things I saw that stood out to me for whatever reason:

Things that are old and worn can still be in working
condition.

Little, quirky additions can be the ones that bring smiles.

Sometimes strangling things can look good
to begin with.

Even in the bitter cold of the winter, there is constant
hope that a warmer spring will come.

Simple ironies bring me amusement. (The sign after the "No Turn
Around..." sign says "Turn Around Here")

Steep climbs are often the most rewarding.
These stairs are on a path leading from my house
to the community beach, on of my favorite places
to go.

It's alright that a fence has gaps and holes.
It doesn't make it any less sturdy, but it does allow
people to see what's inside. I think this is something I realized 
this year and have been slowly working at.  

The sun still shines despite the clouds that cover it. 

All of the branches of this tree point upward.  Shouldn't
we do the same?

At first I thought this was real, then with another look
 realized it wasn't.I thought that merited a picture.

Cross-roads are everywhere. It's usually a good idea
to stop and consider the options ("look both ways")
before continuing.

Sometimes flamboyancy is not the right approach.

The "beauty" of each mailbox does not enhance, nor take
 away from its ability to be a mailbox. 

I just thought this was funny... and strange.

The chains that hold up swings are solid and dependable,
but still allow motion. I think the laws of God are similar.
When followed, they hold us up and support us while, at the
same time, giving us freedom.

Sometimes street signs can be prophetic. 

The Cross stands above.

Life is full of decisions.

You never know where in life a person is. The only thing
about this woman I can know for sure is that she's waiting
for the bus.

Childhood memories can give you a chance to breathe and get away
from the stresses of normal life. I generally welcome the opportunity
 to take a step back and just remember what life used to  be like: who my
friends were, what I valued, who I was. Then I can see how I've changed
and reevaluate whatever I'm stressed about and better
determine how much it actually matters.

Bridges go both ways. Once you cross it, it doesn't necessarily mean you
can never go back. 

Doorways and openings are cool and often necessary, but if they don't lead
anywhere, what's the point? Why spend precious time constructing
something that really doesn't make a difference or have a purpose?

Paths can't always be perfectly flat and without danger, but most of the time,
as long as you are careful and watchful, it isn't too difficult to at least
 stay on your feet.

Antigone blog

"I know my duty, where true duty lies. ... When I have tried and failed, I shall have failed" (129).

This quote is said by Antigone just after telling Ismene about her plan to bury the body of Polynices and Ismene tells her that she's "bound to fail" (129). Antigone just seems to exude courage, strength and determination. Her plan is crazy and she knows that it probably won't work, but she still is going to attempt it because she's not going to go against what she believes is morally right. Antigone shows her strength in standing for what she believes is right. She shows her courage in being willing to go against Creon's edict, facing the prospect of death. Her determination to help her brother is shown in her willingness to try, despite her indefinite failure. These characteristics of Antigone extend through the entire play. This interaction between Antigone and Ismene happens at the beginning of the play and Antigone continues with this mentality to the end. Even though she ends up dying, she at least tried, and did her best to aid her brother and pursue the will of the gods. Antigone's fixation on this idea emphasizes the importance of following the will of the gods. This is Antigone's--and the average Greek's--"true duty." Antigone is set up as the ultimate model for anyone to follow. She places the law of the gods above her own life and does not show any fear of dying in her attempt to honor her brother and the gods. Creon's edict (representing the will of man) barely presents a deterrent in her decision of what to do. Antigone knows what she is supposed to do and will not let the opportunity pass for her to do what she knows to be right. 

This quote caught my attention because of the characteristics of Antigone it presents. This is part of the reason Antigone gained my admiration--her courage, strength and determination, all of which are shown in this quote. She is so sure of what she's supposed to do, and she's not going to back down. It takes so much courage to do something that you know you can't win at. In this case, Antigone is going to die, but she stands solidly for what she believes. This is super cheesy, but it kind of makes me think of the quote "Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game." Antigone doesn't let the fear of dying keep her from following the will of the gods, and that's why she's inspirational. I struggle with inaction because I think I can't do something, but Antigone shows that sometimes you just have to act. You can't claim to not be able to do something until you try it. Another reason I admire Antigone is because of her assuredness in knowing what to do. She has such a sense of purpose and a drive to put that into action. I wish I could "know my duty" and have such confidence in my knowledge that I would give my life for it. There are few things that I am sure enough about that I'd put my life on the line for them. The bravery that Antigone exhibits and her determination to do what is right are what make her so praiseworthy and are what made this quote stand out to me so much. I want to have these qualities, too.