This Is Just To Say Analysis

This Is Just to Say is a poem written by William Carlos Williams that can exemplify the theme of revenge through literary devices such as tone, diction, and allusion. Although, this poem is interpreted in varying ways, the way I have interpreted it is as sibling rivalry. A child has eaten their sibling’s plums as an act of revenge and has written a note asking for forgiveness, but he has no care to be forgiven. Tone used in the poem can be described as sarcastic and lighthearted. The writer, or child in this case says, “Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold.” His apology does not sound remorseful and isn’t taken seriously. He even conveys satisfaction of eating the plums when he says “they were delicious so sweet and so cold.” He comes off as carefree about eating the plums even though he is asking for forgiveness.
The sentence length can also be described as telegraphic since no line exceeds three words. When the writer says, “I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox,” it reveals what type of diction is used and how unremorseful the writer is about eating the plums (8). The diction can also convey that the writer is a child since the words are very simple and monosyllabic. Looking at the poem we can see that it can represent a biblical allusion. The writer stealing the plums, when he knew that it was not his, epitomizes the story of Esau and Jacob. The brothers were always in rivalry with each other. Esau, the oldest, had the birthright and he would soon be blessed by his father to be protected by God in a special way, but Jacob tricked Esau and went to his father and stole his blessing. The writer states, “and which you were probably saving for breakfast.” This shows that the writer knew that the plums weren’t for his taking and this shows how much he is like