This stanza is different in the sense that I think it provides the reader with a "break" from the difficulties of being working class. She talks about embroidery and watering the plants as pastimes that can be peaceful rather than demanding.

At this point, it's now displayed as a different perspective, showing that she's seeing the family from the outside rather than being a part of the family.

This is a great display of the speaker's family and how they are working class within their lives. The description of her father and the uncomfortable working conditions he also lives in can be used to draw a sense of emotion and understanding from the reader about their lives.

This description of "becoming a woman" is also a good one. It also shows a variety of controversy in the sense that she says it has been "a thousand doors ago" since she's been a little kid. In a way, you could say that she's trying to show how long it has taken for her to become a woman and how difficult it has become at the same time.

I really like how she provides a clear sense of imagery and peacefulness at this point on in the poem because of the appreciation she shows for night time and the stars.

Interesting use of the word "doors." Seems as if she's using this in the sense of "days" or "time spent"

The fact that she uses the word "gloats" here is funny because it almost seems as if the rooster is taking joy in waking every one up at 4 am.

I really like the controversy within these two words and what they present about the rooster's cries. The speaker calls them uncontrolled because they aren't always the same, however, she also calls them traditional in the sense that it will always be known as their cry when heard, even though it can vary in sound.

I really like her repetition of the color blue throughout the piece. It provides the reader with a variety of color as the imagery that can be seen. First, we get it with the sky, then the window, and again at this point as the "blur."

I can definitely visualize and almost hear this stanza as I am reading it. To me, 4am seems a little early, but I can understand this timing if the speaker lived on a farm - which, by the descriptions present within the rest of the poem, it seems as if the speaker does.

Simplicity of such an action can allow for peace within someone's head. Unfortunate that the kite had to be shot down by lightning, because it was truthfully a moment of peace and serenity within the sadness that surrounds war time.

I see these lines as the explanation of destroying something beautiful. I think this can also be seen with human lives during war time, feeling as if someone important and beautiful is being killed.

In reference to gambling. I feel as if this was a way to have fun and to get away from what is happening in the war.

I'm trying to think of the reason why she called the poem "Solitaire." I know solitaire as a card game, in reference to other card games, and the gem known as a solitaire. You could connect this with the line she says "shakes wrought dice-cups in Pagan temples" (5) in reference to card games.

Interesting use of the sense of "taste." I think it is a different way to ponder about emotions on a subject.

Connecting these two lines in the same stanza show the difference between peace and complication.

I really like this description of a "sun-shower." It is very beautiful and poetic.

In reference to Venus, the goddess of love, beauty, desire, sex, fertility, prosperity and victory. Also, the mention of the waves and other oceanic elements is ironic because she was born from sea foam.

Interesting word choice

She talks of this pattern before. In this moment, she pairs it with her stiffness, which can represent something that is "structured." As she walks up and down the garden path, all I can think about is the constant ambiguity of a garden and how some of it can be very mixed rather than having to form patterns.

I like how the first line in this stanza reflects the last line in the previous stanza. It almost allows for the reader to continue the thought from where ever she is before and where she is now, but that they are related in her memory.

I really like how she repeats her place as being in the garden paths. I also like how her colors are very prominent throughout this piece for many things outside of just the garden. It almost makes you feel as if the colorful world reflects back to the garden path and the color their as well.

I think this point is important and reminds me of symbolism in reference to people. For example, if someone passes away, there is always a piece that continuously pops up that reminds you of that person (sort of like the butterflies). I really like this summation, it shows that she may not be here, but the pieces of her will still be present.

I really like the addition of this stanza. It references her memories as a child and I can visually see this as I'm reading it.

The moments happening after this are extremely important when it comes to understanding what the speaker feels for others. She obviously knows that this other person in her life will be alone and that the dogs will be looking for her. It displays not only a sense of intimacy, but also acceptance of herself and her place within her family.

I kind of got a historical sense of change through this poem. She almost calls each of her subjects to a new place to see what it looks like now. This is specifically shown through when she calls people "from the Southwest to see Kansas well" and tells them that they have to imagine something. It almost displays the heartbreak of change in reference to what it was before and what it has become because of those who have inhabited the land after these first people.

I really like the opening lines and how they connect with the title. She calls herself a prisoner at a desk and that she's trying not to "blow apart from inner explosions." I like this because it truly highlights the inner battles that some people experience, especially because of their work and the demand of it. Not only does this happen for writers, but for others as well. I also like the fourth stanza because it reflects how she is feeling while she's sitting at the desk. In this line, I am caught up on the fact that it seems like she's imagining what she's seeing because (presumably) there is nothing for her to look at while she's sitting at this desk. The tones of this poem are almost exploratory and imaginative but also convey a sense of the feeling of being stuck and unsure about oneself as a writer.

The question mark here shows some uncertainty in the line. Although she uses the same element of shine and happiness in the first stanza. It almost makes it seem like she's changing her mind about what she said earlier or that it's being added to a different element of the story and that it doesn't reflect the same as before.

This is true for most of us, especially those that have had parents grow up in the same house as them. I really like how she calls time "timeless" to the furniture because it shows that there is no element of time for inanimate objects. And that it can go a whole life's time without moving from one place to another even within a single room.

I really like this line and how she highlights creation as the growth of a tree. It reminds me of the story of creation in the Bible (Genesis). I also like how she uses growth to show creation, mentioning that as something gets bigger, it is creating itself rather than just growing.

I like (and agree with) what Grieshma said about fame not being a consistent thing in reference to the earlier lines in this stanza. I also liked this part of the stanza in particular because it shows that a first chance is possible but a second one is never guaranteed and sometimes a second chance is never pursued.

I really like the use of alliteration in the lines in this poem. She does it twice with the starting line in each stanza (fame and fickle; crumbs and crow).

I feel like this stanza really highlights her outlook on life. I believe she embraced her solitude and decided against calling it life because it was not spent with someone else. I feel like this reflects her as a person very well.

To me, this line is really mocking the idea of how to learn to forget. She calls it an art and says it's easy to do and that school couldn't teach her this "skill" either. The sarcasm must be noted in order to understand this poem!

I really thought this part was funny because she was so excited to have March "come in" and she welcomes the month with open arms. But once April comes in, she does not want this month to come and highlights that finally after a year of it not being April, that it thinks it's okay to come back.

My wonder about this last paragraph is the importance of noting that Enoch Holt was crossing the land and that he had an empty coat-sleeve. This makes me think that he was definitely the culprit and that he finally ran out of all of the money or it makes me think that they convicted a man who never had anything and that's why they mention the empty coat sleeve. I think this can be interpreted either way and must be noticed because Jewett made a point to add this here for some reason.

This language, to me, was much harder to read than the others. The accent is obviously specific and I found it difficult to know exactly what they were saying without sounding the words out, out loud.

I believe this line is something that might "seal their fate" in losing the treasure. It is interesting to note that earlier, the speaker says that the whole town knew that he was rich or that there could have been gold in the chest, but the one daughter could be so "forgetful" and decides to leave the key in a space where anyone could get to the chest with ease.

I really like this paragraph. It is highlighting that they are finally free from their father's grip and they can live their own lives. I feel like this is a conflict of many women in reference to getting married and becoming house women. In reference to the part where she says that "Hannah was still a child at heart" really highlights how little of a childhood that they had for things like fun and play.

I really liked this poem considering what it highlights about someone who is receiving compensation. The poem easily highlights all the things it takes to become strong and take on a challenge, but also all of the time it takes as well as other characteristics. The hidden compensation is highlighted as strength, understanding, and love, while for eternity, the person is giving much to others, including their time, to gather more valuable things and experiences out of it.

The reason the speaker highlights this person as a shepherd is because they are obviously guiding and leading some in a certain direction. A shepherd is not only a person herding sheep. It is important to recognize that the sense of direction, "past the," "over the," etc, highlights that he is leading to a final destination.

The last two paragraphs of this story were shocking to me. It is amazing that even though Will knew that she loved Dick, that he would do something so selfish to damage the possibility of them being together. It is also shocking to me that Dick decided to live with him afterwards and still accept him as his brother after all that he had done. I believe this displays the differences within the two brothers as characters and how there is often a miscommunication between the emotions revenge and sadness.

The paragraph before this is absolutely heartbreaking. It's crazy to see how her feelings for both of them eventually stem towards one and we see how other characters are hurt by it. This could be because of her innocent behavior and the fact that she never knew how this could hurt them. This is also why I believe they say it is her fault.

Calling her innocent makes me think that she's not aware of what they are saying to her, although I don't actually know the extent of what they are saying.

Seems sarcastic to me...

Her comment about Cynthia is funny because it highlights what women of the time period were like, but in this case, she hadn't encountered one of them yet. She basically shows that she doesn't want to be like that when he calls Cynthia pretty much "worthless." She also contrasts our main character, which is a great piece of the story.

The characterization of the apple trees is great here. I was really able to picture how they look and the fact that she views them as like "old gentleman" is great.

I feel like this is a very realistic moment within the piece. The movement of anyone from a place that they have been all their life would be different and would cause someone to feel as if they are far from home.

This talk was most definitely highlighted earlier when all the talk at the event was about death, people moving away, etc. Seeing that this is similar to the conversation earlier and that this is something that happens often allows me to see why they were talking about such sad things.

This line makes me think of the old sailor's rhyme that says "red sky at night gives sailors delight; red sky in the morning gives sailors a warning." I could be wrong, but considering I'm making this comment before I go any further, this makes me nervous to know if something bad is going to come from the next paragraphs of the story.

I really enjoy this whole paragraph because Jewett uses many elements to highlight the "shore life" in using references to the sea and the lives of fishermen. By highlighting what they do, how the weather is, and the other elements of the sea, I feel like she properly set the scene for a story like this one.