Poetry Interpretation Essay

Prompt: Choose one of the more complex poems we’ve read this year ("Mother to Son," "The Road Not Taken," " A Dream Deferred," or "A Poison Tree ") and write an essay interpreting the meaning of the poem. Poetry, like most literature, has a literal meaning (meaning on the surface) and a figurative meaning (meaning below the surface). That meaning below the surface is what this assignment is all about. For example, is "The Road Not Taken" merely about walking in the forest, or is it about something more? You will want to write about the something more in your essay.

In this essay, you must use specific quotations from the poem in order to keep your interpretation focused and on target. Do not write generally about the poem. Tie your writing to specific lines. Strangely enough, this assignment may be easier if you choose a harder, less obvious poem. If the meaning seems obvious to you, it will be hard to write this essay. On the other hand, if you have absolutely no idea about the meaning of the poem, you should choose a different one.

Pre-writing: Steps to follow before you write your essay.

1. Read through the poem(s) a few times and think about what it means. What is the poet trying to describe? What is the message s/he is trying to convey?

2. Read through your notes and writing that you've already done on the poem(s) and jot down any good ideas you've already developed.

3. Answer the following questions if they are applicable. What is the metaphorical meaning of the poem? What is the poet trying to describe by writing? What kind of imagery does the poet use? How does the sound, meter, or rhyme of the poem affect its meaning? What do you know about the speaker and the other characters in the poem? Do these characters change, learn a lesson, make a good decision? Is there any irony in the poem? Does the poem have a turn? What does the poem imply about human nature or society and culture?

4.    Choose two or three lines that you definitely want to refer to in order to write a good essay.

5. You may want to cluster, list, or map your ideas on a separate piece of paper. During this process, decide what you want to focus on in your essay. Remember that it is more effective to write about a few ideas in detail than to write about a lot of ideas briefly. Your essay should be about two pages long, so write in depth. Make an outline for your essay. Check the sample outlines if you want.

6. Once you have answered these questions, you are ready to write your essay. When you structure your essay, remember that you need a strong opening paragraph that cites the poet, title, and has a clear thesis statement. In each body paragraph, make sure you refer specifically to the poem and use quotations. Make sure you have an interesting thought-provoking conclusion to your essay.

Due Dates:

Poetry Essay (Prewriting): Monday March 3
Poetry Essay (First draft): Wednesday March 5
Poetry Essay (Second draft): Thursday March 6
Poetry Essay (Final Draft): Thursday March 13