study guide
Rosetta Nesbitt
Intro To Lit Types
Sept. 08, 2013
A WOMAN IS NOT A POTTED PLANT
By Alice Walker
I -Introduction
a) situate poem in author’s works, if possible, or define the era when it was written
*This poem seems to address the oppression of women and/or how women are viewed in society. Past and present. Works such as “Color Purple” relate to same subject matter.
b) overall theme (remember the title) and tone.
*The overall theme of the poem appears to be about the liberation of women. The poet seems to be taking a stand for all women in an effort the build self esteem. Could have possible been dealing with her own self esteem issues. Poem defies the way society view women by using a potted plant as metaphor for the female. As I analyze this poem, I find myself gazing at the plant that sits on my desk in front of me. It just sits there, looking pretty for me. It serves no other purpose. If I don’t water it, it will dry out and die. If I do not fertilize it, it becomes weak and limp and its pales leaves eventually fall off. This plant cannot get up and walk outside on the deck and enjoy the fresh air as the other plants do, it depends on me to carry it out. Sometimes in life, women become the same way, we rely on the men that control our lives to take care of us; in doing so, there could be women who forget how to care for themselves. We become potted plants allowing someone else to be in control of our lives.
c) versification (meter, line-length, rhyme scheme, free verse?) and structure (first line longer to give emphasis to what a woman is “not”, this word is used several times, alliteration. Repetition of vowels, assonance. The use of “a women” has rhythm the makes the speaker emphasis, rapid jerky. Poet’s could be using “plant” of in a negative way by giving the impression that woman objects to being compared to potted plant, giving the speaker a harsh, sharp tone when reading aloud. Poem goes from negative perception to positive
Intro To Lit Types
Sept. 08, 2013
A WOMAN IS NOT A POTTED PLANT
By Alice Walker
I -Introduction
a) situate poem in author’s works, if possible, or define the era when it was written
*This poem seems to address the oppression of women and/or how women are viewed in society. Past and present. Works such as “Color Purple” relate to same subject matter.
b) overall theme (remember the title) and tone.
*The overall theme of the poem appears to be about the liberation of women. The poet seems to be taking a stand for all women in an effort the build self esteem. Could have possible been dealing with her own self esteem issues. Poem defies the way society view women by using a potted plant as metaphor for the female. As I analyze this poem, I find myself gazing at the plant that sits on my desk in front of me. It just sits there, looking pretty for me. It serves no other purpose. If I don’t water it, it will dry out and die. If I do not fertilize it, it becomes weak and limp and its pales leaves eventually fall off. This plant cannot get up and walk outside on the deck and enjoy the fresh air as the other plants do, it depends on me to carry it out. Sometimes in life, women become the same way, we rely on the men that control our lives to take care of us; in doing so, there could be women who forget how to care for themselves. We become potted plants allowing someone else to be in control of our lives.
c) versification (meter, line-length, rhyme scheme, free verse?) and structure (first line longer to give emphasis to what a woman is “not”, this word is used several times, alliteration. Repetition of vowels, assonance. The use of “a women” has rhythm the makes the speaker emphasis, rapid jerky. Poet’s could be using “plant” of in a negative way by giving the impression that woman objects to being compared to potted plant, giving the speaker a harsh, sharp tone when reading aloud. Poem goes from negative perception to positive