“The didactics of literature could legitimately hope to be exemplary for interdisciplinary humanistic studies.”

This quote was an interesting point in the piece for me perhaps because of its decisiveness. The word interdisciplinary was interesting to me as well because of the wide range of possibilities it encompasses. I think that interdisciplinary humanistic studies can be interpreted as studying the variations in nature, personality traits one is seemingly born with, that occur in humankind. I believe the idea stated here is that the lessons presented in literature can be reflected to show the roots and true nature of mankind, although I am not sure if they are more reflective of the author or his perceived audience.

“Close reading accomplishes this often in spite of itself because it cannot fail to respond to structures of language which it is the more or less secret aim of literary teaching to keep hidden”

I believe this quote summarizes one of the primary messages of the reading. Close reading disproves the idea that the learning of literature can replace the learning of theology, psychology, or ethics

These paragraphs immediately convey a sense of danger, the family home was being attacked by various trees that were beginning to grow into the walls, compromising the strength and protection of the house.

Despite their small size, the plants are strong and healthy, and Joe and his father struggle against their toughness, even inadvertently creating more weaknesses in their own home. Struggling against a damaging force is something frequently reflected in life. Life on earth is something that must be maintained, and is easily threatened.

Joe celebrates progress against this enemy, and refers to the uprooted seedlings as trophies, and it seems as if they will be disposed of or destroyed, but his father waters them. Bazil keeping and making use of the things that had attacked his home is interesting, he wisely looks for the positive aspect of a negative situation, and in doing so he creates progress and positivity in his family’s life.

The first two versions of these verses were of course a bit difficult to read as so much of the language is different, it was interesting to see how the spelling has changed more than phonetics.

Love is the main topic of these verses, it is prominent and repeated, and the writer details its characteristics and value. Love is powerful and lasting, and is greater than knowledge, faith, charity, or prophecies. What is the author’s idea of love? Kind, without envy, humble, truthful. Are these things he sees in people, things he can express, things his God gives?

Verse 11 about becoming a man and putting away childish things is also interesting to me. It seems almost seems out of place at first, but I think it is meant to imply that the desire for knowledge and achievements is a childish thought, and that he realizes now, as an adult, that love is the greatest thing to desire.

When reading this poem I enjoyed the rhythm, the short informative action sequences in the body paired with a descriptive introduction and conclusion. The language used through is vibrant and memorable, there are many alliterations used and some rhyme.

These limited lines still conveyed specific historically relevant characteristics and references when describing both Lafayette and Hamilton, and their shared tactical brilliance.

Even on paper the company’s exclamations add excitement and emphasis to the reading experience. The energy and movement of the poem is nearly palpable and the interactions between characters (not including the enemies mentioned) are positive and encouraging. The break given between information and the opportunity for repetition make these interjections especially useful.

One of the first questions I came across when reviewing this poem was the house on the hill and who it belonged to. I thought it could simply belong to her future self, but then she says she grew up there so it likely belonged to her parents, and was her childhood home she would inherit after their deaths.

I believe this is a poem about self growth, change, and reflection. The narrative begins wishful and looking forward to the future, and ends symmetrically with achievement, growth, shrinking resentments, and contentment.

I listened to this song on Genius and the lyrics posted there had a slight differentiation from the posted material. In these lyrics the second line of the second stanza uses the word “our” instead of “your” when describing a reflection in the water. I think this change makes it clearer that the author is having a dialogue with herself.

The first and final stanzas begin with a declaration of action to go to Innisfree. Is this a self assuring repetition which results in him actually leaving for Innisfree? The final stanza begins a pattern of stating action and then pausing to describe the place wistfully; is this simply a passionate reminiscence? I think there is still reason to believe he may go, the tense he uses when describing his current location, pavements and roadways, is present and not future.

Purple is an unusual color choice to describe noon. The author lists four times of day, the purple glow of noon, the veils of morning, glimmering midnight, and evening. Of these four, noon would seem to be the brightest, but it is not described with sunny color. Is this reflective of a preference for cloudy weather or an emphasis of the respite and peace in Innisfree, even from the bright rays of the sun?

"We found her hidden" to me separates the audience from the artist. The audience, "we", are witnessing the same person, a female figure, in every canvas. They are excluded from the accusatory tone directed towards the artist, a man who paints nameless women whom he has imagined as opposed to real women as they actually are.

The "screen" we find her hidden behind is perhaps referencing the literal paintings/ canvases upon which she is portrayed, but it could also be referring to the few repetitive situations this female figure can be found in. By situations I mean her poses; sitting, walking, leaning, or her beauty; gems, clothing, color, which are always included with her image. The inclusion of these serene and traditionally beautiful elements are an example of the limitation and simplification of the artist's subjects.

This poem depicts a change occurring in Dickinson's mind. The random capitalizations in this poem are placed on meaningful words, seemingly the subject of their lines. The first capitalization is Cleaving, a powerful word used to describe a forceful wounding or separation with a strong tool. Dickinson doesn't allude to where this cleaving came from, but compared her ability to remember how she thought before to when sound ravels out and ends.

In the third line, the word Seam is capitalized twice, when she describes how she failed to sew the cleft together and fit the split pieces of her brain back together.

I think the description of a sound of balls on a floor is a great way to describe her thoughts, the fading and the diminishing pattern makes the sound of bouncing feel similar to losing an ability or mindset, fading out until it disappears.

This poem about a young woman's death contains the nature references Wordsworth regularly uses, as well as the common theme of death and loneliness. The graphic description of human death and burial that makes up the second half of the poem emphasizes the grief felt by the author and the loss both he and the woman experienced. She lost her life and therefore her ability to move, see or hear, and he lost the person he was comforted by and in awe of, someone he probably loved. The innocence and ethereal description of the woman is something frequently featured in poetry, her beauty is glorified, the death of innocence and possibly sacrificial theme is also frequently used.

The title of this poem gives a different feeling than the poem itself. The urban and industrial idea of a station is replaced by a tree, water, flowers. It is hard to know if the equation of wet petals is the mood of the environment or something more literal like faces. But the idea of wet petals reminds me of something gentle or fragile pressed down by the weight of water, against a dark branch of presumably a tree. Does he find the people in front of him oppressed or unhappy, are they being rained on or stuck on the wrong tree? Their faces are faint, ghostly, numerous, for whom he may have empathy.