11th Grade Literature and Poetry Review

Analysis and Biographical Context of Judith Ortiz Cofer's 'Quinceañera'

Judith Ortiz Cofer was born in $1952$ and passed away in $2016$ at the age of $64$. Originally from Hormigueros, Puerto Rico, her literary work frequently explores her cultural heritage. She grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, but moved to Augusta, Georgia, by the age of $15$. Throughout her academic career, she earned a Master’s degree from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and completed graduate work at Oxford University in England, possessing more than one Master’s degree. In $2010$, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame for writers.

The poem "Quinceañera" depicts a young girl's transition toward independence and the shedding of her childhood. The text uses several key terms to set the scene: a "nape" (the back of the neck), a "satin slip" (a smooth, glossy, and expensive fabric undergarment), "drifting" (moving away from an original location), and a "trickle" (a small amount). The speaker notes that her dolls have been put away like "dead children in a chest," a simile suggesting the finality of childhood. This transition is further marked by the physical changes and societal expectations: the speaker is instructed to wash her own clothes and sheets from that day forward, as if her bodily fluids were "poison" or "shameful."

Literary devices within the poem include an allusion to the world being shameful regarding bodily fluids and a simile comparing the satin slip's softness to the inside of the speaker's thighs. The tone is questioning and somber, specifically in lines $16$ and $17$: "Is not the blood of saints and men in battle beautiful?" Imagery is used to describe the speaker's hair being "nailed back" with black hairpins to her skull, while an allegory is formed through the reference to Christ's hands bleeding into one's eyes from the cross. These religious references connect the physical pains of growing up to themes of sacrifice and faith. Contextual connections include the $19\text{th}$ Amendment (ratified on $8-18-1920$, giving American women the right to vote) and Women's History Month, which is celebrated throughout March in the US, Germany, and Australia, having started in California in $1978$.

Exploration of Robert P. Tristram Coffin's 'Forgive My Guilt'

Robert P. Tristram Coffin lived from $1892$ to $1985$ (noted as $63\text{ years old}$). He was a multifaceted professional, serving as a writer, educator, editor, and literary critic. He attended Bowdoin College (BA, $1913$), Princeton University (MA, $1918$), and Oxford University (Ph.D., $1922$). In $1936$, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. His poem "Forgive My Guilt" focuses on a boy who accidentally killed two plover birds while hunting and the enduring regret he feels many years later. The poem features alternating rhyme and ends with a plea for forgiveness from "all that is wild, airy, and beautiful."

Key vocabulary includes "frostflower" (frozen flowers), "jagged" (multi-pointed), "quicksilver" (liquid silver), "slender" (slim or skinny), and "ivory" (a hard, white substance). The author uses metaphors, such as "the air ran blue as the flowers," and vivid imagery, like the description of the birds on "golden legs slim as dream things" running on the sand. The sound of the injured birds is described using the metaphor of "sorrowful high flutes," and the speaker notes seeing "jagged ivory bones" where their wings should be.

Themes developed in the poem include sadness, guilt, hope, education through experience, and regret. The speaker reflects on how "time cannot drown" the cries of the birds, and the "slender flutes of sorrow never cease." Important extras related to this text include the idea that apologies are not always sufficient for a "sin" committed. There is also a comparison between animal love and human love, as well as the ethics of killing animals versus humans. A connection is made to PTSD in line $13$, and the phrase "purposeful accident" relates to wider social themes like the Freedom Riders.

Analytical Study of Edwin Arlington Robinson's 'Richard Cory'

Edwin Arlington Robinson lived between $1869$ and $1935$, reaching the age of $66$. He received the Pulitzer Prize multiple times, listed as in $1992$, $1992$, $1925$, and $1923$. Raised in Maine and passing away in New York, Robinson faced significant personal tragedy, including the deaths of his mother and brother before $1899$. He never married, though he dated Elizabeth Sparhawk-Jones for $10\text{ years}$. He famously dropped out of Harvard University following the death of his father. His poem "Richard Cory" tells the story of an enviably wealthy, handsome, and well-respected man who, despite his perfect surface, unexpectedly ends his own life.

Vocabulary essential to the poem includes "imperially" (royal standing), "arrayed" (attired or glowing), "glittered" (flashing or shining brightly), "fluttered" (describing pulses beating quickly), and "admirably" (highly respected). Robinson uses intense irony in the final line: after describing Cory as a "gentleman from sole to crown" who was "richer than a king," the poem concludes with him going home on a "calm summer night" and putting a "bullet through his head." This highlights the theme that material wealth does not equate to internal peace.

Additional commentary and modern connections suggest that while the public saw one side of Richard Cory (the "HIM" or "That Dude" archetype), they missed the personal battles he faced. Modern examples cited include the suicide of Stephen "Twitch" Boss, a famous dancer and choreographer, and the death of Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain, who died at $27\text{ years}$ of age. Philosophical terms mentioned in relation to the text include "nepotism" and "euthanasia," with a note that Cory's death was a shock to those who "went without the meat, and cursed the bread" while wishing they were in his place.

Contextual Overview of 'Farewell to Manzanar' by the Houstons

"Farewell to Manzanar" is an excerpt by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston (born $1934$; approximately $92\text{ years old}$) and James D. Houston ($1933$-$2004$; approximately $76\text{ years old}$). The text addresses the historical isolation and internment of Japanese-Americans in California during World War II. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in $1941$, the federal government ordered approximately $120,000$ people of Japanese descent to leave their homes and relocate to camps. This narrative explores the specific impacts of racism and the psychological toll of displacement on families.

The vocabulary used in this excerpt includes "collaborator" (one who helps the enemy), "conspirators" (those in a secret plan), "espionage" (using spies), "pacify" (to soothe), and "latrine" (restroom). Other terms include "grotesque" (disgusting/evil), "livid" (extremely angry), and "lament" (deep sadness). Cultural terms specific to the Japanese-American experience in the camps include "Inu" (dog/informer) and "Bakayaro" (you are a fool). The author highlights the breakdown of family structures, noting that the character Mama received "threats and abuse" and that Papa used drinking as a coping mechanism.

Literary devices in the text include repetition, such as "around it and around it and around it" to describe Papa thrashering, and an allegory in which endurance is read like a proverb or personal credo. Themes of violence, abuse, loyalty, and courage permeate the story, particularly in the conflict regarding the loyalty oath ($Yes-Yes$ versus $No-No$ answers) which would determine if one was drafted. Modern parallels are drawn between the WWII internment and current ICE raids or deportation issues. Other historical connections include Schindler's List and the atomic bomb, illustrating the "collateral damage" of innocent people during war and conflict.