T}

ThePoetryEssay

\A

INTRODUCTION
TO THEPOETRY
ESSAY
It's obvious to any readerthat poetry is different from prose.And, writing about each is different also. This chapter will guide you through the
expectationsand processesassociatedwith the AP Poetry section.

What is the purposeof the poetryessay?

The CollegeBoard wants to determineyour facility in reading and interpreting a sustainedpieceof literature.You are requiredto understandthe
text and to analyzethosetechniquesand devicesthe poet usesto achieve
his or her purpose.
The AP Lit exam is designedto allow you to demonstrateyour ease
and fluency with terminology, interpretation, and analysis.The level of
your writing should be a direct reflectionof your critical thinking.
The AP Lit exam is looking for connectionsbetweenanalysisand
interpretation.For example,when you find a metaphor,you should identify it and connect it to the poet's intended purpose or meaning. You
shouldn't just list items as you locatethem. You must connectthem to
your interpretation.

#
7B

Tip: Before beginningto work with an actual poem, read the review
of processesand terms in the ComprehensiveReview sectionof this
book. You should also have completedsome of the activitiesin that
section.

The PoetryEssayc /t

ESSAY
OF PROMPTS
USEDIN THEPOETRY
Not everypoetryessayprompt is the same.Familiarizingyourselfwith
the varioustypesis critical.This familraritywill both increaseyour confidenceand provideyou with a format for poetry analysis.

kindsof questions
areaskedin the poetryessay?

.o

Let's look at a few of the types of questionsthat have been asked in the
poetry essayon the AP Literature exam in the past:
o How does the languageof the poem reflectthe speaker'sperceptions,
and how does that languagedeterminethe reader'sperception?
. How does the poet reveal character? (i.e., diction, sound devices,
imagery, allusion)
o Discussthe similaritiesand differencesbetweentwo poems. Consider
style and theme.
o Contrast the speakers'views toward a subjectin two poems.Refer to
form, tone, and imagery.
r Discuss how poetic elements,such as language,structure, imagery,
and point of view convey meaning in a poem.
o Given two poems, discusswhat elementsmake one better than the
other.
o Relate the imagery, form, or theme of a particular sectionof a poem
to another part of that samepoem. Discusschangingattitude or perception of speakeror reader.
o Analyze a poem's extended metaphor and how it revealsthe poet's or
speaker'sattitude.
o Discuss the way of life revealedin a poem. Refer to such poetic elements as tone, imagery, symbol, and verseform.
o Discussthe poet's changing reaction to the subject developedin the
poem.
o Discuss how the form of the poem affects its meaning.
You should be preparedto write an essaybasedon any of thesekinds
of prompts. Apply thesequestionsto poemsyou read throughout the year.
Practiceanticipating questions.Keep a running list of the kinds of questions your teacherasks.Practice.Practice.

ESSAY
TIMINCAND PLANNINGTHEPOETRY
Successfulwriting is directly related to both thought and structure,
and you will need to consider the following concepts related to prewriting.

80 . ThePoetryEssay

How shouldI plan to spendmy time writing the poetryessay?

.o

Remember,timing is crucial. With this in mind,,here'sa workable strategyi

o 1-3 minutes reading and "working the prompt."
o 5 minutes reading and making marginal notes about the poem. Try to
isolatetwo referencesthat strike you. This may give you your opening
and closing.
o 10 minutes preparing to write. (Chooseone or two of the following
methods that you feel comfortable with.)
o
o
o
r

Highlighting
Marginal mapping (seeChapter4 for samples)
Key word/one word/line number outlining
N u m e r i c a lc l u s t e r i n g

o 20 minutes to write your essay,basedon your preparation

o 3 minutes for proofreading

WORKINGTHEPROMPT
It is important to understandthat the quality of your essaygreatlydepends
upon you correctlyaddressingthe prompt.

How shouldI go aboutreadingthe prompt?

As we did in the prosesection,we will deconstructa poetry essayprompt
for you now. (This is the samequestionthat is in the Diagnostic/Master
exam earlierin this book.)
You should plan to spend 1-3 minutes carefully reading the question. This will give you time to really digestwhat the question is asking
you to do.
Here'sthe prompt:
In "On the Subway," SharonOlds brings two worlds into closeproximity. Identify the contrasts that develop both portraits in the poem and
discussthe insights the narrator comes to as a result of the experience.
Refer to such literary techniquesas poetic devices,tone, imagery, and
organization.

Tip: In the margin, note what time you should be finishedwith this
essay.For example,the test starts at L p.m. You write 1:40 in the
margin. Time to move on.

ThePoetrv
Essav. 81
Here are three reasonswhy you should do a 1-3 minute careful analysis of the prompt:
1. Once you know what is expected,you will read in a more directed
manner.
2. Once you internahzethe question:,you will be sensitiveto the details
that will apply as you read the poem.
you will be able
3. Once you know allthe facetsthat needto be addressed,
to write a completeessaythat demonstratesadherenceto the topic.

.o

Do this now.Hrghlight, circle,,or underlinethe essentialterms and elements in the prompt. Time yourself. How long did it take you?
Compareour highlightingof the prompt with yours.
In "On the Subwa)'," SharonOlds brings two worlds into close proximiry. Identify the contraststhat develop both portraits in the poem and
discussthe insights the narrator comesto as a result of the experience.
Refer to such literary techniquesas tone, poetic devices,F[4geryr and
organization.
In this prompt, anything elseyou may have highlighted is extraneous.
No/c: \Whenthe questionusesthe expression"such as," you arenot
requiredto useonly thoseideaspresented;you are free to useyour own
selectior-r
of techniquesand devices.Notice that the prompt requiresmore
than one technique.One will not be enough.You must use more than
one. If you fail to usemore than one technique,no matter how well you
presentyour answer:,your essaywill be incon-rplete.

Tip: SeeChapter9 to review terms,techniques,and poeticdevices

n e c e s s a rfvo r a n a l y s i s .
Finally, read the poem. Dependingon your style and comfort level,
chooseone of theseapproachesto yoLlrreading:

t . A . Read quickly to get the gist of the poem.

B . Reread,using the highlighting and marginal notes approach.

2 . A . Read slowly, as if speakingaloud. Let the structure of the poem

help you with meaning.(Seethe terms enjambment and cdesurdrn
the glossaryat the back of this book.)
B . Reread to confirm that you understand the full impact of the
poem. Do your highlighting and make marginal notes.
Note: In both approaches,you must hrghlight and make marginal
notes.There is no way to avoid this. Ignore what you don't immediately
understand.It may becomeclear to you after readingthe poem. Practice.

82 . The PoetryEssay

Practice.Concentrateon thoseparts of the poemthat apply to what you

highlightedin the prompt.
Thereare many ways to read and interpretany poetry. You haveto
chooseyour own approachand which specificsto include for support.
Don't be rattledif thereis leftovermaterial.
'We've
reproducedthe poem for you below so that you can practice
both the readingand the processof deconstructingthe text. Use highlighting,arrows,circles,underlining,notes,numbers,and whateveryou
needto makethe connectionsclearto you.
Do this now. Spendbetween8-10 minutesworking the material.Do
not skip tbisstep.Itis timewell spentand is a keyto thehigh scoreessay.

On the Subway
by SharonOlds

"'WhenI read
poetry out loud,
it's easierfor me
to understandit."
-Jennifer
L.
-AP student

lptst

The boy and I face each other

His feet are huge, in black sneakers
laced with white in a complex pattern like a
set of intentional scars.We are stuck on
oppositesidesof the car, a couple of
molecules stuck in a rod of light
rapidly moving through darkness.
He has the casualcold look of a mugger,
alert under hooded lids. He is wearing
red, like the inside of the body

10

exposed.I am wearing dark fur, the

whole skin of an animal taken and
used.I look at his raw face,
he looks at my fur coat, and I don't
know if I am in his power-

IJ

he could take my coat so easily, my

briefcase,my lifeor if he is in my power, the way I am
living off his life, eating the steak
he does not eat, as if I am taking
the food from his mouth. And he is black

co

and I am white, and without meaning or

,LI

trying to I must profit from his darkness,

the way he absorbs the murderous beams of the
nation's heart, as black cotton
absorbsthe heat of the sun and holds it. There is

25

The PoetrvEssav. 83
no way to know how easythis
white skin makes my life, this
life he could take so easilyand
break acrosshis knee like a stick the way his

30

own back is being broken, the

rod of his soul that at birth was dark and
fluid and rich as the heart of a seedling
ready to thrust up into any availablelight

.o

Now compare your reading notes with what we've done below.
Yours may vary from ours, but the results of your note-taking should be
similar in scope.

&Mt putt. = na.DLa.to)L

at ob.tenvett
tinzt yte,uon

On the Subway
by SharonOlds

ctppo.t.Ltion

The bc) and I face each other

His feet are huge, in black sneakers-dalLlz
Ughf-laced
violLncL.-set
oppct,si-tz
.tide,s ct( the/
"'i"ioiL|,"'

--

with white in a complex pattern like a

no con'tno!:

of inter-rtionalscars.o. nr. ou.o utopposite sidesof the car, a couple of

moleculesstuck i. a rocl ,f light

!-Lgh.t.and.d"antz
me'txphon

apidly moving thr:ough darkness --I-

;-He has the casualcold look of a rnugger.-na.juLtuton,.t (za,t

me,tanhon----)
Lalert under hooded lids. He is weilring 'tungLca'(-,
ALm4Lz
ica.[-, -f
au.tctp.ttl
------ cUn -"""--'
red. like the inside of the body --Ib
e x l . l o s e dI .a r n w e a r i n gc l a r l <t u r , t h c - - - 1
whore skin of an anirnar taker.rand -f

+
hunting and 'slz'Lnning

used.I look at his raw face,

vio.Lznce

he looks at my fur coat, and I dolr't

1-5 dzan od
po's'sih!-e
vio.Lence

know if I am in his powerhe could take rny coat so easil)',m),

briefcase,m)r lifeOr if he is in my power, the way I am
btzab! ! !
cou,(d nanna.ton bz
thz aggne+tctn?
X-ooh,t[on deepen
LmpX-Lca.t
Lont
natuLo-to)LqA
ph,LLo..toythen?

living off his life. earingrhe sreak---l_--he does not eat, as if I am taking -J

20

animax.imaga,tq-again
hunting and 'slz,Lnning

the food from his mouth.And he is black-

andI amwhite,ar.rd
with.utmeaning
or
trying to I must profit from his darkness

lnf

the way he absorbs the murderous beams of the -

r;:X*,
j udgmznta.L

84.

The PoetrvEssav
2.5
r n a t i o n ' s h e a r t .a s b l a c k c o t t o n - ==-=-==.LLcth,t
and dantz)
',;^i0.
rL'tt&L
| a b s o r h st h e h e a to f t h e s u r ra n d h o l d s i r . T h e r e i s
-no way to know how easythis
Uah.t and datttz4
Lwhite skin makes rny life, this

su,iltt

l-

life he could take so easilyandi

-"'
l b r e a k a c r o s sh i s k n e el i k e a s t i c k t h c w a ) , h i s
I
nzdenznez to -) own back is being broken, the
,s.Lavahu?
|
Lrod of his soul
!U4r wasla4ild
$at +
nedenenczto ;fluid and r:ichas the heart of a seedling
di-'scn'LminaLL0n?-1t1sa4vto thrust uo into anv :rvailabl 1in6r---l"

--,simiLe
.\0

.timi_Lz
.(iqht and
ait

After you have marked the poem, review the prompt. \Whenyou look
at your notes,certain categorieswill begin to pop out at you. Thesecan
be the basisfor the developmentof the body of your essay.For example:
o
o
o
o

Light and dark imagery

Speaker'sinsights
Contrastin status
Metaphors

o
o
o
o

Animal imagery
Implied violence
Shift in middle of poem
Similes

Notice that we have ignored notes that did not apply to the prompt.
Now choosethe techniquesthat developthe contrastingportraits and
revealthe narrator'sperceptions.
In responseto the prompt, we havedecidedthat the techniques/devices
we will analyzeare:
o Imagery
o Poeticdevices
o Organization
If you expandthe abovetechniques/devices
and the abovecategories
into interpretive statementsand support those statementswith appropriatedetailsthat you'vealreadyisolated,you will be writing a defended
essay.

WRITINGTHEOPENINGPARAGRAPH
Your opening statementis the one that setsthe tone of your essayand
possibly raisesthe expectationsof the reader. Spend time on your first
paragraphto maximize your score.
Make certain that your topic is very clear. This reinforces the idea
that you fully understandwhat is expectedof you and what you will
communicateto the reader.Generally,identify both the text and the poet
in this first paragraph.

Highlis
points
you'ue
You m
prised
actuaL

The PoetryEssay o $$

.o

Do tbis now.Take 5 minutesto write your openingparagraphfor the

prompt on page80.'Write quickly, referringto your notes.

Highlight
these
Let's check what you've written.
points
to seeif
you'ue
donethem. o Have you included the poet and title?
o Have you addressedthe portraits, contrasts,and insights?
maybesurYou
o Have you specificallymentionedthe techniquesyou will refer to in
prised
at what is
your essay?
actwally
there.
Here are three sampleopeningparagraphsthat addresseach of the
above criteria.

k
n

A
SharonOlds in the poem, "On the Subway," presentsa brief
encounterbetweentwo people of different raceswhich leadsto several
insightsof one participant.This is accomplishedthrough olds's useof
poetic devices,imagery,and imagination.
B
The observerand the observed.one has control over the other. In
her poem, "on the Subway,"Sharonolds asksher readersto enterthe
mind of a white woman who observesa young, black man as they travel
together,neither knowing the other. Using poetic devices,imagery' and
organization,Olds takesthe readeron a ride through the contrastsand
imagesthat spark the imaginationof the white onlooker.
C
"And he is black and I am white" establishes
the basiccontrastand
cor-rflict
ir-rSharonOlds'spoem, "On the Subway." Through imagery,
organization,and poeticdevices,Olds createstwo contrastingportraits. The narrator's confrontation becomesthe reader'salso as she
revealsher troubling fearsand insightsthrough her imagesand commentsconcerningher encounterwith the black youth.
These three introductory paragraphsidentify the poet and the title
and clearly indicate an understandingof the prompt. Now, let's nore
what is different about each.
SampleA is a straightforward,unadornedrestatementof the prompt.
It is correct,yet, lacksa writer's voice.(If you are unsureof how to proceed,this is the type of opening you may want ro consider.)This type of
openingparagraphwill at leastallow you ro get into the essaywith as little complexity as possible.
Sample B immediately reveals the writer's confidenceand mature
writing style. The prompt is addressedin a provocative and interesting
manner, Ietting the reader know the tone of the essay.
SampleC incorporatesa direct quotation from the poem which indicates the writer is comfortable with citation. The writer also links the
readerwith the poem and feelsconfidentthat his or her judgmentsabout
the encounterare supportable.

86 . ThePoetryEssay

Note: There are many other types of opening paragraphsthat could

do the job as well. The paragraphsabove are just a few samples.
Does your opening paragraphresembleany of thesesamples?

WRITINGTHEBODYOF THEPOETRY
ESSAY
,.\ I //

aO

When you write the body of your essay,take only 15-20 minutes.Time
yourself and try your bestto finish within that time frame.
Since this is practice, don't panic if you can't complete the essay
within the allotted time. You will becomemore and more comfortable
with the tasks presentedto you as you gain experiencewith this typeof
question.

WhatshouldI includein the bodyof the poetryessay?

t . Obviously, this is where you present your interpretation and the
points you wish to make that are related to the prompt.

2 . Use specificreferencesand detailsfrom the poem.

o Don't always paraphrasethe original; refer directly to it.
o Placequotation marks around those words and phrasesthat you
extract from the poem.

3 . I-Jse"connectivetissue" in your essayto establishadherenceto the

question.
o Use the repetition of key ideasfrom opening paragraph.
. Try using "echo words" (i.e., synonyms such as insight can
be inference/observation/perception;
fear can be apprehension/
insecurity).
o Createtransitionsfrom one paragraph to the next.
To understandthe process,carefully read the following sampleparagraphs.Each developsone of the categoriesand techniques/devices
asked
for in the prompt. Notice the specificreferencesand the "connectivetissue." Also, notice that detailsthat do not apply to the prompt have been
ignored.
A
This paragraph developspoetic devices.
"Black sneakerslacedwith white in a complex pattern like a set
of intentional scars" is the jarring simile Olds usesto establishthe
relationshipbetweenthe woman and the "boy" on the subway.
Immediately,the poetic deviceimplies the bondageand pain of the
oppressedminority and the deliberatecomplexity of race relations.This
idea of interwoven lives is further developedby the metaphor that links

The Poetry Essay r g7

both as "moleculesstuck i' a rod of light." The youth' however,ls

comp:rredto a reprilewith "h'oded lids," and all the fear arrdreprlsion
associated
with this creatLrre
is transferredto the boy who isiiding his
true intentior-rs
with such . look. The woman follows her fearful iisights
with still anotherexrremesimile-worrying about ,,thislife he coulj
take so easilyand break acrosshis kneelike a stick." Still, sheproves
the complexity of her tho,ghts by creatinga sympathetic-.t"ph,r,
t,,
ponder "the r.d of his sorl-the heart'f a seedling"yearning
i. grointo thelight.
'fhis

B
paragraplrdevelopsimagery.

The irnagesin the poentrrrepredominilntlydrarwnfrom the contrast

.
hctwee. light and ciark."Black sneakers,",.white luces,,,,,roclof light
rapidly_n'roving
throLrghdirrl<ness"
trrc all irnugesthat immediately
establishthe conrrastthartis i,rtthe hearrtof the-meaningof the p,r.-.
T h i s j r , r x t a p o s i t i obnc c o m e sr e a l i t yi n l i . e s z 0 * 2 2 * l - , e i w e l e a i ' t h a t
" h e i s b l a c k : r n cI la r l w h i t e . " T h e p r o b l e mi s h o w t h e , , w h i t e , , p r o f i t s
f r . m l T i s" d a r l < ' e s s . "l l i n e 2 3 l w h : r t s h . u l d b e l i g h t , . , t h eb e a m s ' f
the
nation's heart," is nrurcler<lus,
ilnclhe "i,rsbrackcc_rtttlr-r,"
absorbsthis
heat.This angry coltfrastlertdsthe speerl<er
ro lrer insigirt:r[>out
her life
i n l i n e s2 6 - 2 8 . E n r p a t h i z i n w
g i t h t h e b l a c ky o l r t h ,r h J n a r r i r t o rm o v e s
beyonclher prejr-rclices
ancifinds pr'rnise ir-rihe rastthree lineswhich
s e ct h e c l a r kb c r n gb o r n i n r o t h e l i g h t .

This parirgr"pna.llops organi zation.

Tl-re.rganizati.r-r.f "on the Subway" is rrrtherlinear.olds
narrator prrclceecls
fr<lnr:,rfrighter-red
observerto a philosophical
questi<lner
to finallyil r-llrlture,
sympatheticforecasier<>fthe promise
rf the y.r-rng,black rnan.The Iirsr thirtee' linespr'vicle the interior
rlonologue of rr wonllrn who sitsrlcrossfrom a yolrng,black rnale
and
l.oks hinr over frorrrheadto toe. I' line 10 sheiregi,-,.,
to nove cleeply
into the hidclcnperso. acrossfror' her, with this ,;introspection,,
e n d i n gi n l i n e s l 4 - 1 6 w i t h h e r q u e s r i o r . r i w
n gh o a q u a l l y h z r sp o w e r
over whom. Line 18 prescntsa trlre shift fiom pers<lnal
observaticlp
to
an almostsocietalconscience
which is sympatlieticto the plight of all
blacksin Americaras seeni. lines2r-26. Biingingthe readerback t<r
the openingscctionof the poerr, the speakerintimatesat the promise
<lfthe young nrirnwith "rhe rod'f hiss.ul .. . rich rlsthe l.,eaitof n
s e e d l i n g / r e a dt oy r h r u s ru p i n 1 6i r n ya v i r i l a b l el i g h t . "
l l i n e s3 2 - 3 4 1

{r

Tip: Referto our list of recomnrendecl

poetsat the back clf this book.
L'ok for poemssimilar i'r lengthand complexityto thosewe,veprovided_andapply a variety.f pror.npts.youc:rn try thesealone,with
ir study group, or with your class.

BB . The PoetryEssay

Note: Look at the last sentenceof SampleB on imagery: "Emphathizing with the black youth, the narrator moves beyond her prejudices
and finds promise in the last three lines which seethe dark being born
into the light. "
This final sentencewould be fine as the conclusion to the essay.A conclusion doesnot have to be aparagraph.It can be the writer's final remark,
observation,or referenceand may be only a sentenceor two.
Do this now. Wrrte the body of your essay.Time yourself. Allow
1,5-20minutes to completethis task.

h,u

beca
cu.t
'Sub,

irs i
be.tn
wea.L
lplt

Tip: Again,sharingyour writing with membersof your classor

studygroupwill allow you to gainexperience
and to find a comfort
zonewith requirements
and possibilities.

SAMPLE
STUDENTESSAYS

L,ttli
06t
and
agei
thz
,Lec

,LepQ

Following are two actual student essaysfollowed by a rubric and comments

on each.

StudentEssayA
Tlp thnez ,sectiont o{ "0n the Subwa"q"
bq Shanon0.td,saxpnelsl thz comyt.(ica.tzd ne,Lo.tionsl'vLp
be.fuieenCauca,siantand Adttiean-Ametricant, In tlp [itut ,sec.tion
tlp au.tlwn ytne'sent's
an exyso,si,tLon
thnl conttta,ttt a wh,i,tepehaln wLth a bXnctz(X.Lnel | -13),
In tlp Aecond, the ,sytealzelt
begint to dzve.(-oyt
tlv apytanznf.d,irspani,LLe)Ao tha,t intenne.taLLonthip,senergL (Une's 13-20). In tlp tlLi,tLd,the nanna,tongo-Lwrintight into hctw
t[vU aezne i's neytne'senta,tive
o$ AmwLeancu,Ltunzo.t Lange (.LLne,s20-34).
Tle inagottq O,tdAu.ae'sin tlte (fnst aee,tion enplm,size,stlw d.Ld{enencebe-tween
the wlvi.te u)omanwho .Lt tlp nanna.tonand tLp ob'senvenand the b.tactzboq, who i,s
the- obaetwed, a,Ltlrcq nLde tlrc 'subwa-q.Tlte ahoot lp.U wennLngane bLaelz"Xnced
wi,th wlvLte" (.LLne3) . TLp ,sytenlzen
dextibe,s thz wlv(te zigzag,s a,t "intzntionaL acaia"
(Une 4) . Tlte AIULEa,LLudeto the dUuLfuLnnLLonagaLnst the b,Lactz
manbq wh,i,teaocie.tt1.
Thz adlec.tive "intzntions.L" denote,t that wh,tte,spuLplue.[-Almnn bX-aclz,s.
Tlp inage
contna.tt's wluLte'swi,tlt b.Lack's:wh,Lte,silLa-powuLdu,L;b.Lackt ane,subaetvient. SimL[-anLt1,
the tno ehanactetu ane de,tcnibed as baLng "atuclz on oppoui.te Aide,s" o[ tlte ,subwaq
can; theq anQ-Aepahqled ytetmanzntLq[nom eaclt othett (.(ine,s 4-5) . The de,seniption o( the 1i
cX-oth.Lng
i's a tlvind contna,sLLnge.Lemznt.Hene, the bXnctzman.U "expo,sed," wlu(le-the
,speafzetti's cove-ttedin (un (Une 1l ) . TI,LUinage- nein(ottce,s the oytyto,si.tionbe.tneznthe
whi-te u)omanand the blactz boq.
Tlp 'secondaec.tion ALQ.E
a"aluL|t in tone. (illpne the {inst,see.tion Lt eompo,szd
o{
,ph,t
ythq'sieaL
'szeond
de'sen
Ly:LLowt,
tle
i's mone [-o'soytlvLca.[and ind,Lca.tu thz
lftt'Lte
'spealze,,t"s
appttel+enlion. SL:zi's uncentnLn and wnrte,r tlla.t "I don'tl lznowid I an Ln

tha)
lzne
blnc
thet,

a{6
chn
and
ahe
Th

0n

wh
At
ba
cc

Ab

m
,,

+l
A-l

Al
LI

Essav. 89
ThePoetrv
lvi.,tytowen. . olLi6 t+eis in mUfrowehtt(Unat 14-15, 18), Sucha LtatLmenti's inpontant
becawsei,t i,tluatnate,s tLML tlp boundanLe,t be-tweznwh,i-te,ta.ndb.Lach'sattz not a,s cLzanbzgLnt to nza.(ize tLtaL the inagz o( tlrc
cu.t a.t tlrcq maqALen. Pen\wytltlrc aysealzen
z;t
,tub,senviznt bX,a"clz
whi.te-pne,tznted in tlte, (fn'st aection od tlrc poem
and thz pctwendu.L
i.t Lnconnzct, TIrc rLLfrotilion o[ tLrc wond "LL(e" .U anothz,t wa"Utlp intencctnnection
TI,p natuta.toncannot dzcide whe,tlpn he,t
be.twezntlrc tno chanactetu i,s dzve-X-opzd.
wQnULL
uAuLpStLrc powenod tlte- b(,a"clzman o,Lwhe-thettluU potzntLa.[- a"ggne-t'sionu,sunp,s
17, 19).
henpowett, (.n-Lne,t
Tlp tone, agaLn, ,sh,L[ts Ln tLp tlLOLd'szgmznt. He,rte,i.t i's c.LzuLtLmL tlte.tpzalzelt i,t 3 0
tntllng to gaLn an undenttand,Lngod the neXalictnth,tp be.twzznthe wLvLtzwonLdand tlwt
o( tlw bX,aclzboq. At {in t, 'slrc nea.[.LzeAtlLat thzq anz dL[(enent bzcau.tz "he ia bLactz
qnd I an uJhi-te" (.L-Lne,t
21-22). Thz ina.gz o$ thz "bX-acfz
to .t.Lavenq,oncz
cotton" a,[.Lude,t
ago-Ln
nz[etuvLngto thz aca,ia, on dUtinctionA, inpo,szd bq the whrtz 'sctcie-tq. Ve,t, at
.r.')
ahQ-sthangoLq
be-twee-n
the two yteoyt.Lz
tlrc end o[ thi,t azction, the d,L[de;nLncQA
u.tLngtltz tzchruLclueod ,LLpa-ti-ti0n.lnttzad o[
teconc.L[-zd.ThlA it accomyt.(i.tLrcd
a"wond a.t in the.tzcond azction, an imagz it nepeatzd, Line-a29-31 atate
rcpoa,t-Lng
hz cou.[-d"bnzalz [hett] a"cnost ILU
tlnt the blaclz man cou'Ldhunt tl'te wh"Ltzt:)oma-n;
lznzetlp waq h,i,s own baclzi.s baLng bnolzzn." In otho,tt t^)otLda,both whrte-t a"nd
and ao
uL a"gg)Laa+Lon,
b.[,ach-t
can hunt.; bctth zace,scan bz injunzd bq ei.then nzys,te,stion
tl'tet1anz connzctzd thnough tLLafuLpa,Lna"ndunnza'U-zeddneam.t.

StudentEssayB
bq ShanonO.Ld.t,.tlrc contttatt's tlrc wontdl od an
In tl'tz poLm"0n tLte Subwa.q"
lnvz manqoppo,sing
ad[.tuenl.whrtz puuln and a ytoonb,LaclzfruAon. The tno peoysLe
and tl,tz au.thon wsaAXrtahanq tzchruLquel auch aa tone, poe,tic devicet,
chanactwLtica,
and inagenq tct ytontnatl the'sz dL[[etrcnce-t. TLtznaanoton i's the whi-te u)oman,and
.tlp nealizet how peop.Lege.t ".ttuch" Ln ysXaceao[ docie,tq ba'sedon theit 'slz,Lnco.(.0n.
Thewond "atuctz" i,t nzpza,tzd tnicz to 'sttte,t.t tlvU idza.
Thz na"jon d,L[[ettznczbe,fi,ozon
tlrc tuo pzopLzi,s obviou.t.Lqthai,,L,sla,Ln
co.Lon. TI;LE
one-d,L[dettLncL
cauaeAmanqa.tytec-t's
ctdeacLtfrQluon'.t.(ide to bz unLLtzzthz ot[pn"s. Thz
whrtz u)omani's abovz tlp b!-a.ctzmanin the qe's o(1mucho[ ,socie-tq. Tlrc natuLaton
,state,t tLM.t "uJi,tllout meawLngon tnqing to 1 mu,stytno[it dnon luLt dantzne,s.s."TILU iA
balica,U,q 'sa"qingtha,t tlrc b(-aclzmani,t Uving in a whrtz man'a won[d, wltette-luU ,skin
co.Lona.Lonzhal givzn luLn a y:nzd}po'si,tion in the w1e,so[ manq. Thi-t idza ia [Mf.hQlL
,suytysontzd
whzn tlp 'spzatzentl,vLnk's"Tlp)tz i's no wa,qto lznowhow za.tq tlr,U wbi-tz .tlz,Ln
malze,t
mqUdz." )X-dAu.te'sthz [o.LLowing.sini,[-eto .showthz b.Lactz
mqn'a 'si.tua.tion:
bzant o[ the- natrion'a heah,t, a.t b.[-aclzcof,ton ab'sonb's
hL ab,sonb,s
tlp munde,'tou.t
".
tLrc lrc.al.od thz Aun and lrc.Ld.ti,t."
Anotlp,t contna,at.tlLaf. ia in tlrc pozn i's tlrc nat^)nea,s
od tlv bLa.clzman vesttu.t thz
'sLteltettedand ne(fned.Loolzod tlp wh).te-woma.n.)X-d,su.tet a .siniLe to de,senLhz thz nzd
that tLp bLactzqou.thi,s wzaning: "Lilze-thz iwtidz o[ tle bodq expo.tzd." Thz whrtz

l0

15

90 . ThePoetryEssay
wom&ni's the ouI'side o{ the anhq,L we-anLng
a 6u)Lcoq.t. Tl,Leblaclz mani,s the inside
o$ the bodq, the tttue awha,L, while. tlp wlvi,te u)nmani,s not; ,slp i,s ,s.&y:.Lt1
wenning
the outett covenLng od an awina.L.
A,s a nQ'su,Lto{ th,U expwLznce, thz nli)utuL nea.LLze,tthat tlplte .r.,sa ba,bnce od
pol^)Qland contnol be.tweenhen and the qoung man. Shene.a,.{izeAtllat at tine,s, and
in celtta,Ln,srtua.tiont, 'she nulea, wh,LLein otlpnt the bLaclzmandoe,s. HuL li(e, hel
"enAieh" I-L62, can bz talzen anaq bq the bXnclzqou.th. Wholnd tle ytowenon the tnaLn?
Tlv big, Athong, naw blaclz m&norLtlv wealzett,but nLchen, wlv(Je woman?Soc,Le,tqhn,s
given the whrte u)oman
a da.LseALwsLod 'supetionLtq and aecunrtq. S/'z,U pnotzctzd bq
wea,Lth,hen iob, and he-ttpoAseAALonA,
butwlpn a.[-oneon the,subwaqt^ri-thtlLU
bXnehman, Ahe 6ee.Lsdenn. Sle i's eondnonted bq hen own vu.Lne,,tabi,[.rtq.Thz bLaclz
qouth who i's being bnolzenbq aocie.tq can bnealzthz wh,Ltetilomanwho i,a ,socie,tq.
}votta,L[-, tluU poen e{(eetive,Ltl conttta.,tts tlte fuio peop,Leand exyto,se.,s
a. {a,Ltneq o[
'soc.Le.tq,The blaclz manmuat Uve in e,to,tnnLdanlzne,s,s
bzcau.te he i's nLveh a,U-owed
to "thnu.tt up into anq avaLLab,LeUght."

ao

Stt

RATTNG
THESTUDENT
ESSAYS

"Euen thowgh
I hate doing it,
my writing really
improues when
I spend the time
reuising what
I'ue written."
-Mike T.
-AP student

Let's take a look at a set of rubrics for the poetry essay.

A 9 essayhas all the qualities of an 8 essay,and the writing style is
especiallyimpressive,as is the interpretation and/or discussionof the
specificsrelatedto the prompt and poem.
An 8 essaywill effectivel)'and cohesivel)'addressthe prompt. It will
cite appropriatedevicescalledfor in the question.And, it will do so using
appropriateevidencefrom the poem. The essaywill indicate the writer's
ability to interpret the poem andlor poet's attitude toward the subjectin
a clear and mature style.
A 7 essayhas all the propertiesof a 6, only with more complete,welldeveloped interpretation and/or discussionor a more mature writing
style.
A 6 essa)'adequatelyaddressesthe prompt. The interpretation and/or
discussionis on target and makes use of appropriate specificsfrom the
test. But theseelementsare lessfully developedthan scoresin the 7,8, or
9 range.The writer's ideasare expressedwith clarity, but the writing may
have a few errors in syntax and/or diction.
A 5 essaydemonstratesthat the writer understandsthe prompt. The
interpretation/discussion is generally understandable but is limited or
uneven.The writer's ideasare expressedclearly with a few errors in syntax or diction.
A 4 essayis not an adequateresponseto the prompt. The writer's
interpretation/discussionof the text indicates a misunderstanding,an
oversimplification,or a misrepresentationof the given poem. The writer
may use evidencethat is not appropriateor not sufficient to support the
interpretation/discussion.
A 3 essa)'is a lower 4 becauseit is evenlesseffectivein addressingthe
prompt. It is also lessmature in its syntax and organrzation.

The PoetryEssay r g'l

A 2 essa)'indicates
-.^rrvvvrrlvr

The writer

may.misread
the quesrion,only summarizetie po..rrl*Jdevelop

the

requiredinterpretation/discussion,
or simply ignore the prompt and write
about anorher topic altogether.The writing may also L.k
orgu' ization
and control of languageand syntax. (Nore:\o matter ho*
good a summary is, it will never rate more than a 2.\
A 1 essa)'is a lower:.2becauseit is evenmore simplistic,disorganized,

Tip: The essayis really a first draft. The readersknow this and
approacheachessaywith this in mind.

Student
EssayA
This is a high rangeessay(9-g) for rhe following reasons:
o A sophisticated,
indirectindicationof the task of the prompt and
orga_
nization.
o Tightly constructedand
thorough discussionof the contrasts and
oppositionin the poem.
o Effectiveanalysistf i-"g..y
(lines1-13, 1S_17).
o Effectiveand coherent
discussionof tone.
. Understandingof the
subtletiesof tone (lines19_21).
t
support for assertionsand interpretations(lines22-29).
o _s-r-fn"t
Effectiveanalysisof literary techniques(li'es 11,
33-.34,36-3g).
This high-rankingessayis subtle,cor-rcise,
and on target. There is
nothing that takes away frorn the writer's focus.
Each paragraphgrows
out of the previousone, and the readeralwayskn"*,
i"h.r. the author
is taking him or her. The syntax, diction,
org"., ization are mature
".rd
ano conndent.

Student
EssayB
This is a middle-rangeessay(7-6-s) for the folrowing
reasons:
o Clearlyidentifiesthe task,
the poem, and poet.
o statesthe techniquesthar
will te discusseiin the essay.
o Lacks a transitionto the
body of the essay(lines6_7).
o Providesan adequatediscussion
of the insightsof the speaker(lines

23-2s).

o cites appropriatespecifics
ro support the thesisof the essay(lines 14-16).
o uses standard style,
diction, and structure, but does not reflect a
s o p h i s t i c a t eodr m a t u r ew r i t e r .
o Attempts a universalstatement
within a rather repetitiveand summary_
like conclusion(lines 31-34).
adheringto the prompr, this midrangeessayis an
adequatefirst
, Y!il:
draft. It showspromisebui.o-er-dangerously"clore
io p"r"pt rasinglines.

92 . The PoetryEssay

The analysisis basicand obvious,dependingon only one device,that of

simile. The writer hints at the subtletiesbut missesthe opportunity to
respond to further complexitiesinherent in the poem.
No/e: Both essayshave concluding paragraphswhich are repetitive
and mostly unnecessary.It is bestto avoid this type of ending.

How aboutsharing thesesamples

with membersof
your classor study
group and discussingpossible
responses.

Tip: Try a little reversepsychology.Now that you are thoroughly

familiar with this passage,construct two or three alternate Ap level
prompts. (\Walka little in the examiner'sshoes.)This will help you
gain insight into the processof test-making.Perhaps,as extra practice, you would like to try one or two of thesealternativequestions
as enrichment.

RAPIDREVIEW
N e e d a Q u i c k R e v i e w ?S p e n da m i n u r e o r r w o r e a d i n g t h r o u g h . . .
that'll do.

INT

o Reviewterms and techniquesin Chapter 8.

o Becomefamiliar with types of poetry questions(prompts).
o Highlight the prompt to make certain you are aware of required
tasks.
o

Time your essaycarefully.

Read the poem a coupleof times.

Wh

Spendsufficienttime "working the poem" before writing.

o

Mark up the poem.

create a strong opening paragraph,includi'g prompt information.

Refer often to the poem for concretedetailsand quotesto supporr your
ideas.

wl

Always stay on topic.

Avoid simply paraphrasing.
o

Includetransitionsand echowords.

Practice-vary the prompt and your response.

Consult the models and rubrics for self-evaluation.
Shareideaswith others.

WI