Poetry explication techniques and literary analysis
Poetry Explication – Fern Hill (Dylan Thomas)
Introduction
The "Poetry Explications" handout from UNC states that a poetry explication is a "relatively short analysis which describes the possible meanings and relationship of the words, images, and other small units that make up a poem."
Thesis: The speaker in "Fern Hill" dramatically embraces memories from his childhood days at his uncle's farm, when the world was innocent; the second part brings out the speaker's loss of innocence and transition into manhood. This explication will identify and critique Thomas' tone, imagery (including metaphors) and expressive language (as it contributes to the power of the poem). ("Fern Hill" uses 6 verse paragraphs; there are 9 lines in each paragraph.)
Representation of time in modern novels by Zola and Balzac
Zola and Balzac, two French writers who wrote detailed, realistic accounts of people in France, are known to create an accurate representation of time. This essay argues that Zola achieves this better as it pertains to Modernist literature. Balzac, although great at his work, sticks to a more Classic or Romantic plot by having idealistic characters whereas Zola sticks to researched information to generate his stories.