Connor Fink Mrs. Kopseng CP Writing 3 January 2011 Aunt Jennifers Tigers Analysis Outline I.

Intro: Adrienne Richs poem, Aunt Jennifers Tigers, describes Aunt Jennifers hostile attitude in her marriage. Her marriage steadily started to wear her down as she grew older. She had terrifying ordeals in her marriage that will continue to haunt her even when shes dead. Adrienne Richs poem uses rhyme, imagery, and personification to convey a clear image of the difficulties and trials of marriage. II. Richs use of rhyme lightens the deceptively solemn mood of the poem. A. In most cases, rhyme relaxes and entertains the reader. Rich uses rhyme to ease, yet amplify the effect of a powerful line. B. When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by (9-10). III. Richs use of imagery paints a clear picture in the readers mind. A. The imagery helps us to see the poem in terms that we can grasp. B. Aunt Jennifers tigers prance across a screen, bright topaz denizens of a world of green (1-2). IV. Richs use of personification brings animals and objects to life to help describe the trials of marriage. A. Tigers, hands, and her wedding band are used in personification.

B. The tigers in the panel that she made will go on prancing, proud and unafraid (11-12). V. Adrienne Richs Aunt Jennifers Tigers is a poem that describes the hardships of marriage as it develops through the decades. The trials we go through in marriage will stick with us forever, even when were dead. Rich uses personification, imagery, and rhyme to depict the message he is trying to portray in this poem.