Comparing Poems 'Harlem And The New Colossus'
Phase 3 Individual Project
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CTU Online
Literature a Reflection of Life
LITR201-1501A-02
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There are an endless number of poems in the world today. Each of these poems can leave a lasting impression on a reader. Each reader may gain a different impression from the next reader. Two poems that have left an impression on me are “Harlem” by Langston Hughes and “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus. There are different key elements within in each poem that create the effect it can have on a reader. These key elements are imagery, figures of speech, symbolism, word choice, tone, theme, and sound. The use of imagery in “Harlem” creates a handful of vivid pictures. One of these pictures is contained in the line “Or crust and sugar over – like a syrupy sweet” (Hughes 1951). This forms an image in my mind of a used plate covered in dried leftover maple syrup. There are also many clear images created within the poem “The New Colossus”. The lines, “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” (Lazarus 1883), offer a great scene. With these lines I can visualize a huddled group of people in the dim light of an …show more content…
It can be seen in the lines that read, “Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?” (Hughes1951). The fact that these lines rhyme show the use of word choice. In addition, “Harlem” uses informal language and is written in contemporary English. The poem “The New Colossus” also rhymes and uses specific word choice. This is evident in the lines that read, “Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command” (Lazarus 1883). Furthermore, this poem is written using formal language and seems to be of an older English dialect. The word choice used in these poems also sets the precedent for
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CTU Online
Literature a Reflection of Life
LITR201-1501A-02
00000000
0000000
There are an endless number of poems in the world today. Each of these poems can leave a lasting impression on a reader. Each reader may gain a different impression from the next reader. Two poems that have left an impression on me are “Harlem” by Langston Hughes and “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus. There are different key elements within in each poem that create the effect it can have on a reader. These key elements are imagery, figures of speech, symbolism, word choice, tone, theme, and sound. The use of imagery in “Harlem” creates a handful of vivid pictures. One of these pictures is contained in the line “Or crust and sugar over – like a syrupy sweet” (Hughes 1951). This forms an image in my mind of a used plate covered in dried leftover maple syrup. There are also many clear images created within the poem “The New Colossus”. The lines, “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” (Lazarus 1883), offer a great scene. With these lines I can visualize a huddled group of people in the dim light of an …show more content…
It can be seen in the lines that read, “Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?” (Hughes1951). The fact that these lines rhyme show the use of word choice. In addition, “Harlem” uses informal language and is written in contemporary English. The poem “The New Colossus” also rhymes and uses specific word choice. This is evident in the lines that read, “Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command” (Lazarus 1883). Furthermore, this poem is written using formal language and seems to be of an older English dialect. The word choice used in these poems also sets the precedent for