Not specifically relating to the word choice in this section, but I’ve found interest in the different uses of punctuation through the poems entirety. For the first section, each part is filled with many commas, and almost every small chunk ends with another comma. The first period comes at the end of the entire first section, where the second part is entirely filled with exclamation points. Comparing all three sections to each other in terms of punctuation is very interesting, and what the punctuation does for the content itself

The drastic jump from simple “fire escapes and windowsills” to “out of the moon” is a fun element of this paragraph. Ginsberg makes an effort to connect human worldly experiences and locations in contrast with otherworldly places. The moon and space always seems so wonderful and full of mystery, yet the moon seems like a familiar connection between vast space and local earth. The phrase ties the drastic jump from simple human life to a farther stretch of existence

when reading this paragraph, the alliteration adds a great feature to the poem, really getting into the rhythm and also the overall feeling of the poem. The word choice makes readers think of the effects and why the choice of benzedrine, what these people were experiencing on this journey, why are all these specific things important to the environment of this world...

I love the description of vibrant colors in this poem. It could be a tie and example of empowerment among people of color, showing despite the overbearing whiteness of society at the time, there is beauty in diversity and beauty in different cultures that deserve representation

This poem in entirety is a great piece, providing a personal insight from McKay's experience in the American life. I feel this line speaks volume, representing the feeling of being smothered or stealing one's breath and ability to equal living rights in this country as a minority at this time

This line is repeated twice within the poem / song, which seems to add emphasis on its meaning and wording. The poem itself is read like a song, where music was an important part of this era and for struggling black communities, allowing them to express and have an outlet for their emotions. It emphasizes the constant connection between singing and sorrow, yet a sense of growth and hope among black folk

This whole poem has very beautiful and vivid imagery, yet also a bittersweet feeling to it. The subject discusses the beauty in heritage, while also addressing the struggles of oppression. This line is a sad reality yet also an empowering statement

Referencing to Hughes’ poems as well, many poems of this historical era and movement focus on the growth and strength of black communities rising up, gaining a sense of self worth and empowerment to minority individuals. These lines emphasize the rising strength of the discriminated, but still in silence due to caution of white oppressors

This poem is really filled with emotion, giving even emotional examples to objects like the moaning piano, and now here the rickety stool

The vast contrast in these metaphors adds a great element to the poem, giving an example of a harsher image of rotten meat that might represent the struggles of the black community, while the “sugar over” is a sweeter example that could represent the simpler and easier life of a white person in terms of society, equality, and opportunities such as reaching dreams

I love the progression from “I, too, sing America” to the emphasis on /am/ as a turning point, where the speaker acknowledges his own value and importance, that he IS an important part of society

This passage addresses some of the racial issues and proposes different approaches to a better understanding and treating of racial minorities. Locke acknowledges the need for justice and movement, the need for strong voices to represent the minority struggle. To help integrate the understanding and importance of black culture and give visibility and representation of art, creations, culture, and lifestyle from black communities, rather than white culture trying to hold power over minority cultures.

This annotation brings up further questions and analysis in ties with Hughes’ piece. Locke here describes the change in class differentiation and behavior to prove more difficult and ridiculous, where Hughes was describing the change in class behavior as black folk having to climb a mountain. Both have similar underlying emotions but are still expressed differently, which is engaging to analyze and think about next to one another

It’s very interesting to observe the rate of change through society and through out history. Locke asks an important question and makes a great point. It makes us question the actions of society despite constant change. Why society and lifestyle changes with new developments such as benefits for the higher classes and colonized areas, whereas minorities still suffer prejudice and unjust situations in many basic life aspects

In this quotation, Hughes points out the growing separation and solidarity of black folk standing together. The modernization of lifestyle and culture being overpowered by “purity” and “whiteness” is blinding to black folk and minority populations, to the point they’re drifting from supporting their own artists and own creations

Here we can see Hughes trying to point out a major change in society regarding race, a topic that has continued to the present to still be an issue among racial minorities. Relating back to the mountain metaphor, racial minorities continue to be put last in almost every aspect of the world. Here, Hughes discussing art and creativity, is once again an example. Black literature and art was fairly uncommon to the popular (and white) eye, whereas in black folk communities, their own writings and art were typically shared and celebrated. Hughes discusses how this continues for the lower class black communities, where higher class populations encountered a sense of internalized racism and white societal expectations of what was well-respected and appreciated more. Being white and even the color white in every day objects is still seen as “pure” or more valued, so the shift in minorities trying to mold themselves and shift their culture to common caucasian lifestyle and values is an important shift in this time.

The continuous mountain metaphor is a great symbol in this piece. The shape of a mountain is typically wider at the bottom, then narrow and sharp at the top, much like a triangle, which might represent a system of prejudice and “hierarchy.” The population of lower-class black folk seem to be plentiful, but are viewed at the “bottom” of the mountain since they are more reluctant to conform to the standards of white people which would place them higher. Thus, they are expected to climb the mountain to reach a “higher” status and match the wealthier black population who tries to fit into white societal expectations. However, though even the higher class black folk may frown upon the lower class for their pride in their culture and race, much like the wider part of a mountain, they seem to be the strong base and structure for continuing to stay true to their cultural and racial roots despite the attempted colonization and race washing of the time.

Relating to my previous annotation, this passage also explores the dry/wet motif, but this time focusing more on the wet. It also ties in a different aspect of zombies, as well as fragments and exile. The opening line discusses a “decayed hole among the mountains”, which reminds me of my previous passage discussing the “withered stumps of time.” A few lines down, “dry bones” can also be a great example of zombies, discussing bones that have been decaying and drying up in ties with the idea of passing time and mortality. Discussing fragments can also relate to these fragments of bones, and even the fragments of this decaying environment that is trying to hold onto its last pieces. The empty chapel seems lonely and exiled from the world, with fragments of architecture barely holding on, and fragments of life scattered and hard to recognize. The single cock that remains seems to be the only source of life left in this environment, and even the cock is exiled as it crows into the storm. The end lines bring back the dry/wet motif, with the heat and dry of lightning, then followed by the wet of the rain. “...a damp gust” can also represent both wet and dry at the same time, since a gust of wind is normally thought of as dry air being blown around, but this time the gust brings rain, thus turning this into a wet and dry type of weather at once.

In this passage, I have found multiple motifs, specifically focusing on zombies, un/natural time, and dry/wet. These lines strongly encompass the idea of time and decay, through “withered stumps of time” and describing things that are losing life with time, just as referenced in the epigraph. I get a sense of the dry/wet motif through the mention and metaphorical sense of fire. Eliot seems to be using play-on-words with the lines “Under the firelight, under the brush, her hair...spread out in fiery points” in which “brush” can mean the plants that can easily be set aflame, but also perhaps brushing the hair that is also representing fire. Brush is often dry, which is why it catches on fire so easily, so these lines can be a symbol of dry compared to other “wet” examples in the poem. Dry can also relate back to the withered stumps, which one might imagine as the wood of the stump being dried and worn out with time. All of this ties back around to the zombie motif, the passage of time and explaining the dead or undead. The last line of this passage: “...Glowed into words, then would be savagely still” ends this passage on a somewhat vague note, but also giving closure to the subjects of these lines. It seems that being “savagely still” after a life of fire and glowing can also represent the un/natural passage of time, and just the overall existence of time along with the process of death and living.

This is a very ominous statement, much shorter than other sentences in the piece and seems to draw attention. Why is the water to be feared, and why is it dangerous enough to cause death? Questioning also what this statement’s importance is in this placement of the rest of the text

I find the form and spacing intriguing in this piece, where this first stanza continues to the next line after a verb or focal point of the sentence, whereas later in the piece the spacing changes to right before the verb or focal point

it’s interesting to see a majority of the quotes in other languages are German in this piece, where the end switches to French. Could symbolize something, like the relationship of speakers in the piece or that who has been buried ?

I find this segment interesting and relating to Millay's poems that discuss a different aspect of love and happiness, where in this story Drummond/Totts eventually chose his Totts callings and what felt more natural and made him happy rather than what his social standards influenced him to follow

Kind of pun in this phrase, that also relates to other worldly things such as ghosts, in terms of hauntology

This sequence reminds me of "The Yellow Wallpaper" and the narrator's struggles to decipher the figures within the wallpaper, and what to do about them when they were stuck inside

with his alter ego, Drummond is now slipping into the realities that Bill Totts experiences, bringing together the motif of consciousness vs reality. Where Bill Totts started off as a conscious idea for Drummond, his experiences are making it harder to decipher the conscious versus realtiy

This emphasizes the motif of the village and woods, where Drummond seems to be coming from a very different environment than what he's trying to "adapt" to now, and learn how to engage in this new environment

I like the implication of "a genuine worker" as if this character is trying to learn a new trade to make cover for another identity, which then ties into the ideas of the village and concept of split selves

I really like the contrast of sweet and cold. Cold can be refreshing in a good sense, such as here, but can sometimes be seen as cold and harsh. I like the somewhat contradictory phrasing, but it works in this sense and can mean multiple things depending how readers interpret this line, as well as the short poem as a whole

The themes of lifelessness appears once more, something that's consistent throughout this piece. It reminds me of the ideas of the veil, separation, and themes of life and death especially in Du Bois, along with the ghosty topics.

I definitely see ties with some of the other pieces we've been reading... the ideas of moving forward and onward, like in Frost's piece "The Road Not Taken," but here the men have taken to railroading, and also "out of sheer lust of adventure" where the motives seem to be different for Frost. Interesting to see the different perspectives

I like the descriptions of both paths in the first two stanzas, but then Frost's realization that both paths are almost the same or at least having been traveled on the same amount. Many metaphors could be within this, being that despite both roads being their own roads with their own turns and surprises, they both have a similar impact on those who have traveled by them

This image really stands out to me, the idea of a rose and thorns, piercing another, while the narrator describes the rose's own armour. It's almost a paradox here or sense of irony and it makes me really ponder this statement

Already the first two lines of this poem sound verbally great when reading out loud, I enjoy when the sound of poetry sounds nice to the ear

I like the continuous theme of trees and cutting down tall and mighty forces. Relating back to "cut down to spring no more" and "cut down, and all the clamour that was he" it makes the image a constant and changing item throughout the poem

I reread this poem twice after getting to the end and noticing the rhyme pattern and realizing this poem is a sonnet. The first read it wasn't so noticeable because the piece just had a natural flow and rhythm, but it's great to realize the rhyme pattern in this and how it adds to the poem as a whole

I really like the rhythm this line has, the repetitive use of words adds an element of emphasis to the piece

I like picking up on the constant detail to the horrid wallpaper, Gilman’s narrator could be using her dislike of the paper as a metaphor to multiple focus topics in this piece. It could relate to her discomfort and feelings towards John, her husband, and also her feelings about her illness and how other people perceive it

in this moment it gets more clear that the narrator is identifying herself as one of the “creeping women” in the wallpaper rather than just describing them and what she sees. i can really get a sense of urgency and her mental health plummeting by the change in language and description, which eventually leads up to the ending of the piece. the ending is very impactful and dramatic, yet still keeps the same “respectful” tone the narrator has used throughout the piece

taking note of the punctuation and style really brings out another element in this piece. I notice Gilman’s use of exclamation points for emphasis and also sometimes sarcastic statements, while all capital letters also adds emphasis and an urgency to her statements. Here she uses both the exclamation point and capital letters, and in different sections of the piece she uses these methods in close proximity to add tension to those parts. It’s a great read and very intriguing to notice these patterns

I really enjoy reading this piece and how polite yet bold Gilman is about her position, about her illness as well as her place as a female writer in 1892 in relation to her husband and other male figures. Her tone of voice in this sentence especially stands out to me, I love her casual attitude and shocking remarks that still bluntly state how she feels in this situation

This quote reminds me of a line further in the piece, where Du Bois writes "this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity." Although both quotes focus on a serious and "down" topic, I like the correlation to one another and continuing the serious conversation in the poem regarding identity and sense of self

I appreciate the nod and awareness of race in this sentence, which ties in with other topics throughout the piece. The metaphor of "strait and stubborn to the whitest" with the contrast of "sons of night who must plod darkly" really stands out to me

I find it fascinating when texts like this can be applied to the modern day, thinking of the concept of technology and modern advancements, how it changes opinions and the way we see the world. Even here, Adams is analyzing technology but also society, how they impact each other back and forth and so on

A main topic of this work is the correlation or not that Adams feels with science versus religion. Throughout the piece I can read and pick up mixed feelings he seems to have, where he seems to debate his own feelings aloud in the writing. He seems to still be "in favor" of religion while examining his fascination with the technology of the dynamo and also how it's effecting the world around him

This line stands out to me, the word choice sounds very poetic and relates to the content of the piece. It makes me question and think deeper as to who these "dead women" are, perhaps representation of "the Virgin" in a religious sense, and also reference to Venus in both a mythological sense but also scientific sense which ties in the topics together

I like the transition from a more serious and deeper topic and sense of language throughout the poem versus the cut to "kiss my ass" adding a lighter but still somewhat dark humor and satire to the poem. It still fits the poem very well and also gives the readers a kind of shock within the midst of it

In this sentence, as well as in the next paragraph, Levine mentions "they lion" earlier in the paragraph compared to the previous paragraphs where the lion was only mentioned in the last sentence. I like to think the more emphasis on the lion and mentioning the lion twice puts more urgency and importance in the topic of the lion in these last two paragraphs