Allusion. An allusion is a rhetorical technique in which reference is made to a person, event, object, or work from history or literature. In this poem, Dove makes an oblique allusion to the Civil Rights march of August 28, 1963. As you read, find the lines in which Dove alludes to this historic event.
Characterization. Characterization is the use of literary techniques to create a character. Writers use three major techniques to create characters: direct description, portrayal of characters’ behavior, and representations of characters’ internal states.
|
“Wingfoot Lake” is taken from a collection of poems called Thomas and Beulah, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1987. Loosely based on the lives of Dove’s maternal grandparents, the book is divided into two sequences: “Mandolin,” devoted to Thomas, and “Canary in Bloom,” devoted to Beulah.
“Wingfoot Lake” examines Beulah’s life after the death of her husband, Thomas, and refers to the famous Civil Rights march of August 28, 1963, in which more than 250,000 protestors participated.
What historic event has influenced you?
|
