It could be argued that the current news media places too much emphasis on the negative aspects in society and not enough on all of the good. Counter-argument? Drama sells.
This week, let's focus on the good in the world, in life - in your life. Again, I'm a bit of a sentimentalist. Hallmark may have my number, but I like the idea of a day devoted to celebrating relationships of all kinds.
Assignment:
1. Read and re-read "Valentine" by Carol Ann Duffy (poem below). Consider our many discussions on relationships and especially, symbols.
2. Examine any and all poetic devices, focusing on how such devices contribute to the meaning, the effect, or both, of a poem. (What is important is not that you can identify the names of all poetic devices so much as that you can explain how the devices enhance meaning and effect.) Especially note anything that is repeated, either individual words or complete phrases. Anything said more than once may be crucial to interpretation. Write a minimum of one paragraph on this topic.
3. In identifying theme, recognize the human experience, motivation, or condition suggested by the poem. Use this theme chart to generate your theme statement. (Complete each step - they're short!)
- PLOT: Write a summary of the "plot" or events of a poem written in a short paragraph form. SUBJECT: Discuss the subjects of the poem. These may just be listed as words or phrases. THEME: After combining subjects where appropriate, write one to two complete sentences identifying what idea the poet or speaker (narrator) is conveying.
Quotes to consider:
"The fact is that people are good. Give people affection and security, and they will give affection and be secure in their feelings and their behavior." - Abraham Maslow (Remember "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs"?)
"Do not give in too much to feelings. A overly sensitive heart is an unhappy possession on this shaky earth." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Optional, extra credit assignment:
Engage in a meaningful conversation (at least one paragraph or more) with at least one of your classmates.
Due date:
Friday, February 18th at midnight
"The fact is that people are good. Give people affection and security, and they will give affection and be secure in their feelings and their behavior." - Abraham Maslow (Remember "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs"?)
"Do not give in too much to feelings. A overly sensitive heart is an unhappy possession on this shaky earth." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Optional, extra credit assignment:
Engage in a meaningful conversation (at least one paragraph or more) with at least one of your classmates.
Due date:
Friday, February 18th at midnight
“Valentine”
Carol Ann Duffy
Not a red rose or a satin heart.
I give you an onion.
It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
It promises light
like the careful undressing of love.
Here.
It will blind you with tears
like a lover.
It will make your reflection
a wobbling photo of grief.
I am trying to be truthful.
Not a cute card or a kissogram.
I give you an onion.
Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,
possessive and faithful
as we are,
for as long as we are.
Take it.
Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring,
if you like.
Lethal.
Its scent will cling to your fingers,
cling to your knife.
I give you an onion.
It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
It promises light
like the careful undressing of love.
Here.
It will blind you with tears
like a lover.
It will make your reflection
a wobbling photo of grief.
I am trying to be truthful.
Not a cute card or a kissogram.
I give you an onion.
Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,
possessive and faithful
as we are,
for as long as we are.
Take it.
Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring,
if you like.
Lethal.
Its scent will cling to your fingers,
cling to your knife.
The literary term I see over and over is,style and connotation. The author uses style, because it is different than what the usual way to talk about love, and comparing it to an onion. Connotation is the meanings and feelings that have become alike with the word, also to its explicit meaning. The meaning being used here is the onion because, the onion us not only used as an object being given as a token of love. But it is also used as a another connotation by saying, "It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
ReplyDeleteIt promises light
like the careful undressing of love."
The theme of the poem is love. It is talking about a different kind of love. This is because it is not being compared to the norm, of sweet and nice things such as roses and such. The author compares but to an onion, because it is beautiful if you look at it piece by piece.
This is how a woman wants to feel, even if she is/ or feels like "the onion" she will still give love a chance cause she knows that she has more to give than people think. She proves this by giving examples of how the onion can stay on your lips, etc.
I understand the onion theme because it is hard and rough. People are hard and rough on everyone, especially to "their love" because they do not want to hurt. I mean who does? I can also see that the onion can be an actual person. This person can be ugly, rugged, not the best of the best, but inside, which all the flavor of the onion is contain, this person has more to give than what others perceive. An onion is usually what gives food flavor to most foods cooked, which can also signify that without this onion as a "present, of a person", the life of the other would not be as good as it should, or could be.
The literary term I see a lot is metaphor. Carol Ann Duffy compares an onion to a person, the moon, and love. For example when she says "It is a moon wrapped in brown paper" or also "like a lover". It is saying that love is like an onion and all those things because its always there and hard to forget. She repeats the phrase "I give you an onion" probably to embrace that the author is really trying to compare love to an onion.
ReplyDeleteIn this poem the author is writing about a relationship from the start to how it is going and how it is and how it can blind the woman but she always fall. The theme is love and how it can be like an onion because the flavor of onion can stay on ur lips for a while like a kiss can.
The most significant thing given to me is my ring that my mom gave to me for my birthday cuz it was the color of my month and she gave it to me which makes it much more special. I still wear it and I will always have it and wear it as long as it fits.
Carol Ann Duffy use metaphor to get her point out to the poeple. For example she is comparing an onion to a person. When it is said " I give you an onion.Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,possessive and faithfulas we are,for as long as we are." This trying to say no matter what the person is like she will alway be there to support the person. Plus, hyperbola is use in the poem too. Moreover, when it is said, "Here. It will blind you with tears like a lover.It will make your reflectiona wobbling photo of grief." This is trying to say that she is fell so in love that she does not know the real him like a person that is going through pain for losing there love.
ReplyDeleteThe poem was about diffent types of love that one can experince. For that one that leave the impresion on the person. Also the person that will take you breath away and fall so in love that she can not see the reall him. Finally the last one where it true love and he put a ring on the finger. The theme of the poem is love and how a person can fall for ther significant other.
One of the most significant that i hold dear to my heart is a doll since I was six months old. Due to that it was givven by my grandmother that passed away seven year ago. She was the person that would always love me no matter of what I did. I hold it near my heart because it was give by a person that i truely love and is not in my life any more, ut always in my heart.
The main literary term that I see is simile “It will blind you with tears like a lover.” This statement alone holds a powerful meaning. Carol Ann Duffy is comparing a lover to an onion, something that many people would find offensive. However, she is just trying to tell her views. An onion may seem an odd thing to compare a lover to, but its harsh odor and the sting it brings to your eyes is very similar to the sting one may feel in their eyes when dealing with a human being.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of the poem is, without a doubt, love. By comparing love with an onion, it implies that an onion has many layers to reveal before you get to the real thing. This can be the same thing when dealing with a lover. Once you meet a person, you only know one layer. However, there are many other layers to be discovered that may tell more about the person in question.
I was given a stuffed animal by my dad for Valentine’s Day, ironically enough.
He gave it to me this year, and when I asked what it meant, he said it was just a token of his love. Now, I know my dad, and when he says something like that, I know he’ joking. So I kept pestering him until he told me that he saw it and, since it was green, and green is my favorite color, he thought to get it for me. My mom slyly inserted a comment saying he got it because I am always such a little monster. I laughed and we all joked about it some more. I realized recently that while my dad and I hardly ever see eye to eye, we still love each other, and we can always find something to joke about, even if it was meant to be a present.
The only noticeable literary devices are simile and symbolism. Simile is used in the third stanza. Using like, Carol Ann Duffy compares the tears that the onions creates when you cut them, to the tears that only a lover can give you. Symbolism is used in the second, sixth, and seventh stanza. The onion in this poem represents the moon, a fierce kiss, and a wedding ring.
ReplyDeletePlot: The poem tells a story of two lovers. One of them is expressing their love in an abnormal way. Using an onion, one of the lovers tries to convince the other that an onion is the best way to say "I love you!"
Subject: Love and no matter what i give you just know that i love you.
Theme: The theme is obviously love, but the narrator is trying to say that love can be anything, even an onion. Even though an onion isn't the nicest gift, (its not a gift at all actually) it doesn't matter because they know how they feel about each other.
Items of affection that I have given are poems and Valentine gifts. The poem that i most recently remember writing was too my best friend right before she left for college. I believe it was the best poem I've written so far because it was deep and from the heart because I knew I was going to miss her. The Valentine gift was also a symbol of affection because Valentine gifts are usually for people you care about a lot.
In "Valentine" by Carol Ann Duffy similes are used so the her audience will have an image to relate to what she is trying to say. She says, "It is a moon wrapped in brown paper", to give the reader a beautiful, curcular image to compare to an onion. Onions have never been used to convey feelings of love, so she uses similes like, "It will blind you with tears like a lover", to show that an onion will make you cry as your lover makes you cry. Personification is also used when she says, "Its scent will cling to your fingers", onions cannot cling, but cling is a word affilated with ones unbreakable love for one another. She uses all these devices to show that an onion can be considered loving and lovely.
ReplyDeleteShe isn't giving the person she loves a conventional symbol of love, but a more powerful symbol which is loving in its own way. She gives him an onion which will make you cry uncontrolably. Its scent will stay with you for a long time, and with its many rings it will get as small as a wedding ring. One subject of the poem is "love" which is mentoned throughout the poem. "Fathfull[ness]", "truthfull[ness]", and being "possessive" are all subjects of the poem. The poet is trying to convey the idea that love can come in many forms and still be the same. This is shown through the similes which compare an unconventional symbol of love, the union, to conventional symbols of love like crying or clinging. The similes help you view the union from the poet's perspective which is that the union is a sybol of love.
The heart has always been my favorite symbol of love. It is red which is a passionate color. It is the human heart in a less physiological form. When you give someone a heart it is as if you are giving them your own heart with all your love in it especially for them. Also anything sentimental or homemade is a symbol for love because someone put their work and feelings into it for you; working hard just shows that you care which a lot better than a store bought gift.
In the poem “Valentine”, by Carol Ann Duffy, uses similes, metaphors, and symbolism to emphasizes the meaning dramatically. By using similes she compares love to onion which is something people wouldn’t say to represent love. The author uses metaphors to compare how he feels about the person he loves. Plus the author uses symbolism to represent the moon, a fierce kiss, and a wedding ring. The author uses literary devices to show how much the speaker really loves the person.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of the poem is that love comes and many shapes and sizes, but love is strong. The comparison of onion with love is that love is hard to tell when comes in many parts. When you cut onions it comes with many layers. Love is really hard to find and if you take your time you will get to know all their layers.
This Valentines my wonderful girlfriend gave me a letter. Which it has writing and pictures? That’s what people see, but the truth is that I see something wonderful and it shows her dedication to our love. In those words it told me how much she loves me. Which it has been the greatest gift I ever got. It’s not about the value or how big it is, but it’s about what it means. Like in the poem it’s about what the onion really meant.
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ReplyDeleteIn the poem,"Valentine" by Carol Ann Duffy, the author uses many poetic devices such as: imagry,symbolism, and alliteration. Although, the poetic devices that stood taller than the rest were free-verse and symbolism. "Valentine" has no poem structure.For example, most poems would either rhyme or make all of the stanzas similar in length but this one does not, this one is different. The poem does not rhyme, neither do the lengths of the stanzas match. As for the Symbolism, the author uses symbolism to compare contrast things. Duffy uses symbolism twice in her poem. One common trait that both poetic devices share is that, both traits are are used to show the difference in a way.Wether it is for showing that the poem has no structure, or to compare two different things.
ReplyDelete"Valentine" is the description of a valentines gift when the narrator is giving it to his partner. The partner is surprised to see that it is an onion that the narrator chooses to give her as a token of love and the narrator gives reason behind the surprise gift. As the narrator begins to describe his gift, it begins to sound sweet. The narrator wants to explain the onion without making it sound like any normal token of affection.The onion is something that will be kept long after it is gone. The subject is about the onion,the feelings that the onion will evoke in the narrator's partner.The narrator is is telling a story as it happens to convey the message that the readers can give their partners something other than the usual roses and jewelry to show that they care for them.
This year when Valentines day came I had bought my significant other(nancy) a small assortment of roses and various flowers. As the day progressed( about 20-30 mins) I gave her flowers company with a ring, she loved it. After school when my partner and I were together again Nancy wanted to take me to one of her favorite places to eat so we went to a fast food place around her house called Phils.The entire time that Nancy and I were there,the conversation had never stopped and my feelings for her did not cease to stop. Although it may not be seen as it, but going to Phils was the most romantic and most treasured experience that I will ever have had the joy of taking part in.In my head, Phils might as well been a secluded room illuminated only by candles on a small table for two with dinner well prepared on it. As far as the feelings that were felt that day, it was just too much for words to describe.
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ReplyDeleteIn the poem "Valentine", the author Carol Ann Duffy,uses firgure of speech. An example being used is "i give you an onion. It is a moon wrapped in brown paper." this is an example of metaphor because the onion is being compared to the moon as to where the reader can imagine the round shape of the moon and think of an onion and because the moon is wrapped in brown paper the onion to has a brown skin over it.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of the poem is Love. How ones life can change if you look into a person and let them look into you.
The subject, In this case a relationship. Love promises happiness but it won't be a fairytale. You will cry, it will hurt, but you can learn to forgive through love and someday even marry the special someone in your life. But you must go thorug the phases of love and get through them.
This was the second valentines i have spent with my boyfriend. We decided to not buy eachother anything although we both got eachother a card and wrote our thoughts and feelings on them. Many people thought me and him were both jerks for not buying eaachother anything. But we both know we do not need to give eachother items to demonstarte our love to eachother when we already have the best thing we can get, "us".
In the poem "Valentine", by Carol Ann Duffy she uses the poetic devices of symbolism, imagery and simile. As you read the poem you start to imagine the different things that the author is talking about like the onion and knife. Duffy mostly uses the more noticeable device which is smilie by comparing things to love. Finally Duff uses symbolism by stating that the onion is like the moon also representing love.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of this poem is love because she is informing the reader the things that happen when you are in love with someone. When she says here it will blind you with tears she is saying that sometimes there will be bad times in a relationship. The subject in this poem is relationships.
This year for valentines day i decided to make one of my close friend my valentine. I know very well so i knew exactly what to get her. I bought her a little bear, a funny card, valentine candy because she does not like chocolates, and placed those items in a hot pink bag because that is her favorite color. I knew that she was going to love it and she did. She got me a little bear with a baseball because i play baseball and I really liked the gift.
The literary term used in the poem is imagery. This creates a picture in the reader’s mind when he describes the onion. Another literary term used is metaphor. In the beginning of the poem a one is compared to a moon and with love.
ReplyDeleteThe theme is love. The poet is trying to show what real love is. Not every thing expensive that you buy show love. The poet tries to show how pointless it is to buy something expensive by giving an onion. The poet doesn’t give anything that is worth a lot, but something that means more than money.
Poetic devices:
ReplyDeleteThree poetic devices used in the poem are symbolism, personification, and metaphor. Symbolism: The onion symbolizes love. The narrator states that it is the “careful undressing of love”; it represents a person that opens up and reveals more about themselves to the ones they feel affection for. That is because they feel more comfortable to show their feelings. Personification: “It will blind you with tears like a lover.” It shows that love is not just some abstract and ineffective object. It has a great impact as strong as a person can create. Lastly, metaphor: “It is a moon wrapped in brown paper” gives the image of the onion. It shows that the onion is more than a bulb plant. It reveals a little more of itself each layer that comes off.
Theme:
The narrator gives her loved one an onion, an indication of her love for them. It may not have any dollar value, but it means something special and it comes from her heart. She then goes to explain that the onion leaves a much more special affect and feeling because it represents something. It represents the spicy connection and lasting effect between the two.
The subject of the poem is love and that is what the onion represents. It is not directly stated but it is implied when the narrator says “Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips, / possessive and faithful/ as we are, / for as long as we are.” What this is saying is that as long as they together and truthful to each other, their love would always be there. The theme of the poem is sentimentality. She is saying that one does not have to give anything fancy or expensive to their loved one to say that they love them. Simple objects that seem invaluable can mean so much to the one receiving it because it represents their love.
When I was in elementary school, I made butterfly refrigerator magnets out of pasta. All I had done was paint the pasta, stick pipe cleaners on it for the antennas, and glue a magnet to the back. I gave it as a gift to my mom. She seemed to have liked it. She stuck it on the refrigerator, but unfortunately I made it drop and it broke. Although the magnets were not worth much, my mom seemed pleased when I gave it to her.
In the poem, “Valentine”, by Carol Ann Duffy there are some poetic devices used. One of those poetic devices is simile, Dufffy compares the effect of an oinion to that of a lover."It promises light like the careful undressing of love" and "It will blind you with tears like a lover" serve as exampes that Duffy uses to convey similes in her poem. Another deviced used is antistrophe Duffy often repeats "I give you an onion." This use of apostrophe emphaizes the use of an onion.Without repeating the word onion, the poem would not have the same effect because they would pass the word by.Duffy also uses juxtaposition because she describes two elements and tries to compare them. Duffy explains that the onion gives the same reactions just like a lover would, "I give you an onion.Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,possessive and faithful as we are,for as long as we are.". Overall, this poem is a paradox. A person wouln't think that love could be like an onion, but after rereading the ;poem a person can see the simialrties between a lover
ReplyDeleteI recieved some words of advice about a year ago from one of my favorite uncles.He had told me to,"forgive and forget, those who apologize and to those who dont".About a year ago my uncle became very sick and had to go back to Mexico.Once he arrived there ,his family did not want him nor did not want to love him. Although,my uncle was very sick, he still tried to get his wife and kids to love him. The doctor soon told him that he had less than a month to live. This made my uncle realize that life goes on. In his last days of living he found it really happy because he had learned to forgive his family and although they did not want anything to do with him deep down he knew they did.After realizing all that, my uncle finally rested in peace.
After hearing my uncle give me those words of advice I looked over my life.I didn't want to forgive anyone who had hurt me.In my mind I would think,"Why should I? It was their fault".I never quite understood what his advice meant until he passed away.My uncle always thrived for his familie's love and that is the only thing that he wanted in life.He never quite recieved "it" until he learned to forgive.I now understand what his advice means and now I live by that advice.
In the poem "Valentine" Carol Ann Duffy uses simile and metaphor to get her points across. "It will blind you with tears like a lover" shows how she used simile to compare the strength of the onion to the effect of passion from a lover. This shows the reader how truly powerful the onion can be just like a lover. Metaphor is used by saying, "I give you an onion. Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips ... as we are." The poet compares the onion to an actually person by speaking of the intense kisses it will leave just like lovers do. The purpose of this is to show the affection of an onion and to cast out the connotation behind onions. People usually think of an onion as something ugly, smelly, and disgusting. The poet uses and onion to show us the beauty of it: strength, passion, flavor, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe overall theme the poet is conveying is love. The poem shows the audience how much an onion can relate to a lover. It has layers like humans do. You have to peel back those layers to find the real them. It has intensity and adds flavor to one's life. It shows readers how beautiful love can be no matter the appearance.
One thing that is very significant to me is a bracelet my uncle gave me that says my name in Hawaiian. The reason I hold it so dear is because it's the last thing he gave me before he left. February 20, 2009 he passed away and cancer took his life from us, but not his love. Although I didn't see him much because he lived in Hawaii he was one of the most important people in my life. This year will be two years since he has been gone, but I still wear the bracelet every single day.
For ages doves, flowers, and poems have been the typical remedy to express passion. Through her use of allegory, however, Duffy defies the sentimental value of love through representation of an onion! We think of an onion, and immediately food pops into mind. Readers may think, how in any way could a rooted vegetable possibly be mistaken for love? “I give you an onion. Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,” this statement, similar to many other lines, creates a rather meaningful depiction of the impact of love through the bitterness taste of an onion. The vegetable, masterfully symbolized by Duffy, explains to readers that the love in “Valentine” is one that cannot be imitated by a “red rose” or a “satin heart”, but instead through the sincere characteristics of an onion.
ReplyDeleteThe common meaning of a “cute card” or “kissogram” does not satisfy the author's intended effect. To fully express her feelings, to display the commitment and genuineness of this relationship, take this onion and treasure the qualities it possesses. She subjects to an onion as keeper of faith, stamp of dedication, and mogul of honesty. Substantially, by referring to the shrinking platinum loops of the enchanting bulb to a wedding ring, Duffy is conveying that love, like marriage, should be eternal.
Brownies just happen to be a centerpiece in my outlandish behavior I refer to as Josejuan-ism and Peterpedro-ism (alter ego disorders creative many years ago). Yet, before then I would always give a box of brownie mix, as a token of friendship, to some of my closest “buddies”. Typically, brownies are cut into squares and when I think of squares I hear a buzz of equality and fairness. With that in mind, I give brownies to signify my mutual respect and honesty towards certain individuals. Most importantly, I figure, is the hybrid quality of brownies, its crossover between cakes and cookies. If you receive my shimmering green bag filled with Betty Crocker's creation, I feel comfortable enough to share just about anything with you, be it as light and playful as the texture of a cake, or as serious and austere as the flatness of a cookie. Beware! If you accept, you will be bound to share with me once baked.
: )
Throughout Duffy’s poem, “Valentine” anaphora is used to further stress the idea of love she is trying to portray. For example, the lines “not a…” and “I give you an onion” are repeated. By repeating “not a…” Duffy is saying that the love she is describing is not a typical Valentine’s Day love. She does not give or receive a “red rose or a satin heart” or a “cute heart or a kissogram” she rather gives an “onion”. Also, “it will…” and “its...” are repeated as well to further explain the love Duffy is depicting. With “not a…” she explains what kind of love it is not, but with “it will…” and “its…” she goes on to explain what kind of love she is speaking of. Furthermore, Duffy uses personification of love. For example, she says “it [love] will blind you” and “it [love] will make your reflection”. She is personifying love to show the harmful effects that it produces.
ReplyDeleteThe speaker is showing her real love in a different way. Instead of giving what society believes to be Valentine gifts, she gives her lover an onion. She goes on to explain why love is not the cookie-cutter love that society says it is, but a love that blinds you and hurts you. To her, love is like an onion because the more you peel the more tears and pain you get. Both the subject and the themes of “Valentine” are love. Duffy is trying to portray this idea that love is pain and suffering. When you love someone, you also have to go through the pain and hardships that come with loving others. This is because when you love someone, at one point or another, they will hurt you.
A symbol of love that I have received is when my little brother gave me a teddy bear. Last year we went to a small fair at our church, and he spent all day winning tickets to obtain a big prize. He heard me tell my sister that I wanted a teddy bear that they had. Therefore, when he went to trade in his tickets he got the teddy bear for me! I was surprised because he spent all day getting tickets to buy a water gun, but in the end, he rather got me the teddy bear. I still have the teddy bear in my room, and every time he sees it, he tells me to keep it forever. He says that when I go off to college, I have to take it with me. This way I always have him with me, and I will not miss him as much.
Throughout the poem, Valentine by Carol Ann Duffy, she uses a variety of devices. Metaphor is used when she says, "It will blind you with tears like a lover." She is comparing the tears that the onion will give you, with those tears that lovers cause. The other device would be imagery for when she mentions, "Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring,if you like." She is giving us that image of the loops that make up an onion, and saying if want to, you can take that onion "the relationship" to the next level which is marriage-if you wish to.
ReplyDeleteThe overall theme of this poem is love. Although this poet compares it to something very rare and different, he is still making an interesting analogy. One could be that love comes in different forms and ways to people, but at the end of the day its the feeling we have for that person. Whether or not we want to accept the gift it is up to us, but love is love and it should not matter what it is wrapped around.
An object very significant I have given to someone is a bracelet. I did not have any money to buy anything big or fancy on Valentines Day, so i had to be a little creative and assemble a pretty crafty bracelet with pieces of yarn. Although the bracelet is very small and not worth a lot, it did mean a lot to my boyfriend Arnulfo. That is what i like about him, he does not care about the money value behind the present, but rather the significance and meaning it had to it.
@ Amy A.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your take on the poem. I think that the onion symbolizes what love is. When you meet someone, you only know his or her first layer. Ones time passes you begin to peel the layers to find the real person that lies beneath the surface. Sometime when you are in the process of revealing these different layers, you can feel pain. This is because the more you get to know someone, the more you love him or her. It creates a closer bond between both people. Ones you have this close bond, you are easily hurt. This is because you are open to said person, and any harmful effect that they may do hurts even more.
Duffy uses literary devices such as symbolism, irony, and hyperbole in the poem "Valentine". She uses an onion to represent something that is beyond just a word-love. Symbolism plays a major role in this poem because an onion is simply viewed as a vegetable, but the poet uses this device to enhance the meaning behind its representation. It is ironic that an onion would be referred to as the example of the effects of love. The use of a hyperbole is what makes the reader engaged. An onion does not really "blind", but because it was described with exaggeration it attracts the reader. PLOT- The poem begins with a twist. A woman offers an onion as a gift to her lover. She explains how it means way more than what it seems to be. She expresses herself on the subject of love. In the end she kind of reveals her desire for a serious commitment. When it mentions the loops turning into a wedding ring. Subject- love, affection, commitment, true love. Theme-
ReplyDeleteIn the poem, "Valentine" by Carol Ann Duffy the literary device symbolism is used to represent the narrators feelings towards their love. By using the onion to represent the relationship of the two and using the quotes above the passage aid to my understanding of the poem. through symbolism it gives out an irony to the poem as she loves him she loves him not. meaning as it makes promises in the begging, but the layers of the onion resemble time meaning that a couple get closer and are more vulnerable of getting hurt thus gives the tears of the onion.
ReplyDeleteThe love that the narrator is offering to their mate is betrayal as a onion is to avoid love.But love is blind, and lovers cannot see
The pretty follies that themselves commit.
William Shakespeare
Love is like a rose you get attracted by it's beauty, but get stung by the thorns.
The symbols that I have been given close to my heart is the gold necklace my GF gave me when I fist met her. It has two hearts stuck on the necklace a big one and a small one. She told me that the big heart is mine and the small one is hers. I realized what they represented during the time that passed, the reason hers was the small one was because I had to be careful with it or it might break, it's like the big heart had to care for the little heart thats why they both intersected. and as it has flowers also stuck on to both hearts resembling that both would grow out of predicaments. Now for me as the big heart the reason is because I am always forgiving no matter what that's why she gave me the big one because it's full of love, funny story huh XD
In “Valentine” by Carol Ann Duffy one of the literary terms used is diction; “It promises light” or “it will blind you with tears” are both great examples of diction. The arrangement of these words gives a more powerful meaning to what the original words will ever say. The used of diction helps emphasize that love is a powerful thing and that should not been taken lightly. That is why the poet does not refer to offering her love by giving a “red rose” or a “satin heart” but an onion.
ReplyDeleteThe plot of the poem basically describes what love is and why it compares to an onion. It starts off by saying how love make you hopeful by wanting it to last, that love will make you cry if things do not last, that true love lasts and is worth more than any ring, and that love can be lethal because you can come out with a broken heart.The poem’s theme is satiric because it ridicules the idea of receiving a valentine. The poet is trying to mock the people who receive red roses,satin hearts, cute cards, or kissograms because they do not truly represent what love is.
I never understood how a heart gained that specific type of shape, when I imagine a heart I imagine a weirdly shaped organ. When I was little I never understood why a heart represented love, but as I grew up listening attentively to love songs I heard these lyrics that helped me understand why a heart represented love. The lyric “my heart only beats for you and only you” made me realize that when you truly love someone you will live or die for that person.
(Teacher Okayed)
ReplyDeleteIn the poem, “Valentine”, by Carol Ann Duffy there are some poetic devices used. One of those poetic devices is simile, Dufffy compares the effect of an oinion to that of a lover."It promises light like the careful undressing of love" and "It will blind you with tears like a lover" serve as exampes that Duffy uses to convey similes in her poem. Another deviced used is antistrophe Duffy often repeats "I give you an onion." This use of apostrophe emphaizes the use of an onion.Without repeating the word onion, the poem would not have the same effect because they would pass the word by.Duffy also uses juxtaposition because she describes two elements and tries to compare them. Duffy explains that the onion gives the same reactions just like a lover would, "I give you an onion.Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,possessive and faithful as we are,for as long as we are.". Overall, this poem is a paradox. A person wouln't think that love could be like an onion, but after rereading the; poem a person can see the simialrties between a lover and an onion.
PLOT: The poem starts of by talking about a gift she would not get her lover. This was an odd thing to read because who wouldn't want a rose. She then tells her audience that she would give her lover an onion. This very odd because an onion has many bad qualities. Duffy explains why an onion is such a great gift.
SUBJECT: Onion; Love; Gift
THEME: The theme the author is trying to convey is that love is not materialistic. This is because she decides to give her lover a very simple gift. That may not be seen as much, but that has a lot of meaning.
I recieved some words of advice about a year ago from one of my favorite uncles.He had told me to,"forgive and forget, those who apologize and to those who dont".About a year ago my uncle became very sick and had to go back to Mexico.Once he arrived there ,his family did not want him nor did not want to love him. Although,my uncle was very sick, he still tried to get his wife and kids to love him. The doctor soon told him that he had less than a month to live. This made my uncle realize that life goes on. In his last days of living he found it really happy because he had learned to forgive his family and although they did not want anything to do with him deep down he knew they did.After realizing all that, my uncle finally rested in peace.
After hearing my uncle give me those words of advice I looked over my life.I didn't want to forgive anyone who had hurt me.In my mind I would think,"Why should I? It was their fault".I never quite understood what his advice meant until he passed away.My uncle always thrived for his familie's love and that is the only thing that he wanted in life.He never quite recieved "it" until he learned to forgive.I now understand what his advice means and now I live by that advice.
the poem uses symbolism and similies as the devices.it uses symbolizm to represent love and how its is alike with an onion.these literary device help provide the reader a more broad idea on how love can make a person feel pysicaly and mentally. love can make you feel happy at sometimes and make you feel upset. love is a cycle that can be repeated over and over again as long as you let it.the hurt in a realationship can help someone realize the process of letting go and moving on,from that onion.
ReplyDeletemy parents always taught me that "love comes with all the deals it mentions including some that are not mentioned ,but you will have to go through them at least once in your life.it is up to you to accept them as they are or learning to letting go."
resently i had an experience where i had to learn to let go of someone no matter how i felt because deep inside you know that the only thing that that person brings is nothing but problems that can later on change your life. somtimes i wish i could have thought of it sooner because that could have saved me a l ot of time. i was blind by the "onion" and didnt see what was going on when i was with that person.
this poem has a deep meaning on how life is not pysically seen but it effect and makes you feel.