Let's talk about "Rites of Passage" on the blog:
1. Why do you think Olds calls the boys "men" (line 3)?
2. Interpret the imagery in the poem. You might discuss the smooth chins, the reflections in the pupils, the cake, etc.
3. Why do you think the "scene" of the poem is a birthday party? How is this significant to the poem?
4. Is this poem funny? Scary? Both? Neither?
5. The poems we read for Monday are about childhood experiences. How does "Rites of Passage" differ from them? How, for example, would the poem be different if it was in the voice of one of the "men" and not the parent?
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Response to "Those Winter Sundays", "My Papa's Waltz", and "Rites of Passage".
ReplyDeleteWhen we read "My Papa's Waltz" in class I, of course, pictured it and what I thought it meant in my mind, then while we discussed it I discovered that the poem was really about something else than I imagined. Judging by the title, I litterally pictured a father teaching his son how to waltz, but since his father was drunk they were all over the place knocking down pots and pans. When we discussed it, I had a better idea of what it meant, or might mean, which helped me to disect the poem more to try to get a better understanding.
In "Those Winter Sundays" I sense a little bit of tension between father and child. The father cares about his family and clearly shows it by warming up the house for them, all of his hard work, and I would imagine he taught his child how to work because he loves his child. As he clearly cares for his family, he must also be very strict and does not know how to interact with people, including his own family, which leads to him being strict. It says in the last line, "what did i know of love's austere..." which means, stern and cold in appearance or manner and morally strict. The child fears the chronic angers of that house, refering to the child's father.
"Rites of Passage":
I think the author refers to the boys as "men" because she describes them to be acting "tough" and they talk about who could beat up or kill who which does not seem like first grade talk but rather "men" talk.
I hope we discuss this one in class so that I can know why the scene of the poem, a birthday party, is significant because I cannot think of a reason why it would be..
Typical
ReplyDeleteWhile talking about this poem in class someone said that the reason that that narrator had called these little boys “men” was because she was looking at them and could see how they would be when they get older. Those same thoughts came to my mind too. I also agree with the statement about how in a sense it’s showing how older men still act like little boys. They were all standing around with their arms folded looking at each other and thinking they were tougher than the one standing next to them, just like any room full of guys no matter how old they are.
The line about the way they saw themselves in each other’s pupils is so true. A lot of times people only see themselves the way others see them. Some care so much about what people think about them that they will say and do anything to try and impress others so they will feel accepted by them. It’s not a good thing but it happens all the time.
I think this poem describes kids perfectly. Little kids always want to be bigger than they are and they always want to be with the "tough group". Younger kids want to be like older kids so when the 7 year old says he's older and better the younger kid tries to think of something that will get the 7 year old on his side.That's when he says "we could easily kill a two-year-old."
ReplyDeleteWhen we discussed this in class, there were many things that really came to my mind when we talk about this. I think that this poem really talks about the boys really wanting to be men. They seem that they want to be as tough as men and that they want to be that man they wish to be. When I read this "How old are you? Six. I'm seven. So? Really told me there that they really want to be better maybe than the other. It really also tells us what they want to do when they become men.
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