Where getting deep into analysis just might make you crazy with power
Search This Blog
Monday, December 6, 2010
Amy's "The Moon"...not to be confused with Twilight's "New Moon" or the song "Blue Moon" or the movie "Moon Over Miami" or the delicious Moon Pie or....
I find it kind of funny how the speaker goes and writes another poem after "writing poems all day"..clearly it wasn't that stressful. The tone to "The Moon" is kind of sullen and almost pessimistic. He talks about how some of the moon is lit up, but most of it is in darkness. Kind of like a glass-half-empty type of mentality. Or he could just be merely describing what he saw obejectively. But the way he used "far" "deep" and "darkness" makes me think he is some how disappointed by the crescent moon. He says that "the porches" are in the light, but "the deepest part of the house is in the darkness"..could he be talking about a hidden aspect of himself that is in the dark? Maybe he presents a lit up image on the outside like the illusion porch lights give, but inside he's got a deep dark secret like the dark portion he describes of the moon. I feel like the pines represent some sort of solace for the speaker, like they are a place he can go to let out his demons and explore the darkness. Somewhere he goes to sort of take a step back and put things into perspective, and realize that he is a tiny spec compared to the natural wonders of the universe like the moon.
I thought the poem was about something like he can't always see the full picture and there will always be something he can't, perhaps expressing a frustration with his perception in his writing, and perhaps that's why he watches it every night after he writes, because every night there's a new way to see it?
I agree with Katie that it is strange that "After writing poems all day" he writes another poem, and like what Nick said, he probably forces himself to write to discover something new by looking at moon. "The moon has her porches turned to face the light", exemplifies the speaker's ability to see the superficial, either in people, society, or even in his own writing, and is unable to dig deeper and enter "the deep part of her house" which remains elusive and mysterious as it remians "in the darkness. To "sit down against a pine" alone in the woods and stare up into the sky shows how distant and insignificant he may feel. The moon may represent someone or something in his life that is difficult for him to figure out, like someone may be concealing a secret or he may be hiding something about himself from the world, so he hides out "Far in the woods" to find comfort and understanding in solitude.
I agree with Becky. I think the moon is representative of a person or society and the speaker is trying to understand why he cannot understand "the deep part of her house." I feel that it is more about his views towards society today. First of all, he seems to be alone in the woods. Who else would venture out into the woods alone to write poems all day other than someone who is tired of the people and society surrounding him. It sort of reminded me of how Henry David Thoreau who abandoned himself in the woods in order to learn more about himself and life itself.
After reading this poem my interpretation of it is that the moon represents a woman. The speaker personifies the moon by saying, "her porches," and, "her house." By refering to the moon as her instead of it gives off the impression that perhaps the moon is just a representation for a woman he is actually talking about. Also, I thought that it was about a woman he wants to be with and observes her (not in a stalker-ish way, but in a sense that she catches his attention whenever she's around) because the poem explains that he goes off to see the moon. It's makes me think of that at the end of the day when he's done with his work she's all he can think about. Also, the moon having a side in the darkness shows how there is something mysterious about this woman. Her face is in the light and he finds something intruiging about her, but there is still so much he doesn't know and wants to get to know her better. I could be completely off but that's my initial interpretation of the poem.
Before I read anyone's post, I thought this poem was about inquisitive thoughts about another person. It seemed like after he would go to work, he would go and "see the moon" but it would really be a waitress at a small cafe. He would try to get her to open up and see what kind of person she was. That's why I think this poem is a very wonderous, thoughtful poem that's much deeper than it seems. HE wants to see the whole house (aka her personality, thoughts on recycling, and weather she likes cream or sugar in her coffee). Its like simple delights make the day. The darkness is mysterious, you won't know what you'll find but whether its positive or not you still want to know "the deep part of her house". Now that I've read the posts I think I agree with most of them except I think its a positive poem and not so negative. Its more inquisitive.
The little ones are always the toughest... Well, I feel as though the moon serves as a light in the speaker's life in which he may always turn to and confide in. The "porches turned the face the light" are welcoming and inviting to the speaker. This juxtaposes the deep dark woods and the dead of night in which the speaker seeks out to be alone with the moon, in order to highlight its warm, welcoming qualities. The "deep part of her house in the darkness" represents the dark side of the moon which holds a mystery. As forth coming and open as the moon as depicted, it still holds this one secretive area a mystery to the speaker. However, the moon serves as a relief for the speaker and a break from a busy day to notice the simple things in life.
Before actually trying to analyze this poem, the first thing that I noticed is that the moon is refered to as "her". This personification makes the moon seem more personable, as if the author shares a connection with the moon/her.
Also, the imagery of the deep part of the house in the darkness shows that the face of things are always visible but it's true substance is hidden. Sort of like, things are more than skin deep kind of feel.
Then, if the moon is in the pines, but the speaker sits by a pine, is the speaker with the moon too? That's a thought that crossed my mind. Maybe, it's "so close yet so far" which also relates to the main part of the house being hidden in the dark. It takes more than just a glance to truly understand something...
I agree with Gabby. I think that the moon represents something that he trusts and confides in. I think the fact that it is not a full moon represents time. The moon is not always full, it changes shapes according to time. I think that him sitting "far away in the woods" represents his isolation, and how he feels so close to the moon. I think the main literary devices are diction and imagery. After just reading Nick's post I found a comparison with what I was saying. He said he goes out there every night because there is a new way to see it, which is kind of what I was saying about the time. It is always changing, and it always changes the shape of the moon. The fact that he is far out in the woods and that the "deep part of her house is darkness" shows how there is something hidden, something he can't see but knows is there. I feel like this could represent eternal life in a way, that maybe someone he loved died and now the moon helps him feel closer. -Katie
I find it kind of funny how the speaker goes and writes another poem after "writing poems all day"..clearly it wasn't that stressful. The tone to "The Moon" is kind of sullen and almost pessimistic. He talks about how some of the moon is lit up, but most of it is in darkness. Kind of like a glass-half-empty type of mentality. Or he could just be merely describing what he saw obejectively. But the way he used "far" "deep" and "darkness" makes me think he is some how disappointed by the crescent moon. He says that "the porches" are in the light, but "the deepest part of the house is in the darkness"..could he be talking about a hidden aspect of himself that is in the dark? Maybe he presents a lit up image on the outside like the illusion porch lights give, but inside he's got a deep dark secret like the dark portion he describes of the moon.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the pines represent some sort of solace for the speaker, like they are a place he can go to let out his demons and explore the darkness. Somewhere he goes to sort of take a step back and put things into perspective, and realize that he is a tiny spec compared to the natural wonders of the universe like the moon.
I thought the poem was about something like he can't always see the full picture and there will always be something he can't, perhaps expressing a frustration with his perception in his writing, and perhaps that's why he watches it every night after he writes, because every night there's a new way to see it?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Katie that it is strange that "After writing poems all day" he writes another poem, and like what Nick said, he probably forces himself to write to discover something new by looking at moon. "The moon has her porches turned to face the light", exemplifies the speaker's ability to see the superficial, either in people, society, or even in his own writing, and is unable to dig deeper and enter
ReplyDelete"the deep part of her house" which remains elusive and mysterious as it remians "in the darkness. To "sit down against a pine" alone in the woods and stare up into the sky shows how distant and insignificant he may feel. The moon may represent someone or something in his life that is difficult for him to figure out, like someone may be concealing a secret or he may be hiding something about himself from the world, so he hides out "Far in the woods" to find comfort and understanding in solitude.
I agree with Becky. I think the moon is representative of a person or society and the speaker is trying to understand why he cannot understand "the deep part of her house." I feel that it is more about his views towards society today. First of all, he seems to be alone in the woods. Who else would venture out into the woods alone to write poems all day other than someone who is tired of the people and society surrounding him. It sort of reminded me of how Henry David Thoreau who abandoned himself in the woods in order to learn more about himself and life itself.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this poem my interpretation of it is that the moon represents a woman. The speaker personifies the moon by saying, "her porches," and, "her house." By refering to the moon as her instead of it gives off the impression that perhaps the moon is just a representation for a woman he is actually talking about. Also, I thought that it was about a woman he wants to be with and observes her (not in a stalker-ish way, but in a sense that she catches his attention whenever she's around) because the poem explains that he goes off to see the moon. It's makes me think of that at the end of the day when he's done with his work she's all he can think about. Also, the moon having a side in the darkness shows how there is something mysterious about this woman. Her face is in the light and he finds something intruiging about her, but there is still so much he doesn't know and wants to get to know her better. I could be completely off but that's my initial interpretation of the poem.
ReplyDeleteBefore I read anyone's post, I thought this poem was about inquisitive thoughts about another person. It seemed like after he would go to work, he would go and "see the moon" but it would really be a waitress at a small cafe. He would try to get her to open up and see what kind of person she was. That's why I think this poem is a very wonderous, thoughtful poem that's much deeper than it seems. HE wants to see the whole house (aka her personality, thoughts on recycling, and weather she likes cream or sugar in her coffee). Its like simple delights make the day. The darkness is mysterious, you won't know what you'll find but whether its positive or not you still want to know "the deep part of her house".
ReplyDeleteNow that I've read the posts I think I agree with most of them except I think its a positive poem and not so negative. Its more inquisitive.
The little ones are always the toughest...
ReplyDeleteWell, I feel as though the moon serves as a light in the speaker's life in which he may always turn to and confide in. The "porches turned the face the light" are welcoming and inviting to the speaker. This juxtaposes the deep dark woods and the dead of night in which the speaker seeks out to be alone with the moon, in order to highlight its warm, welcoming qualities. The "deep part of her house in the darkness" represents the dark side of the moon which holds a mystery. As forth coming and open as the moon as depicted, it still holds this one secretive area a mystery to the speaker. However, the moon serves as a relief for the speaker and a break from a busy day to notice the simple things in life.
Before actually trying to analyze this poem, the first thing that I noticed is that the moon is refered to as "her". This personification makes the moon seem more personable, as if the author shares a connection with the moon/her.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the imagery of the deep part of the house in the darkness shows that the face of things are always visible but it's true substance is hidden. Sort of like, things are more than skin deep kind of feel.
Then, if the moon is in the pines, but the speaker sits by a pine, is the speaker with the moon too? That's a thought that crossed my mind. Maybe, it's "so close yet so far" which also relates to the main part of the house being hidden in the dark. It takes more than just a glance to truly understand something...
like this poem?!
I agree with Gabby. I think that the moon represents something that he trusts and confides in. I think the fact that it is not a full moon represents time. The moon is not always full, it changes shapes according to time. I think that him sitting "far away in the woods" represents his isolation, and how he feels so close to the moon. I think the main literary devices are diction and imagery. After just reading Nick's post I found a comparison with what I was saying. He said he goes out there every night because there is a new way to see it, which is kind of what I was saying about the time. It is always changing, and it always changes the shape of the moon. The fact that he is far out in the woods and that the "deep part of her house is darkness" shows how there is something hidden, something he can't see but knows is there. I feel like this could represent eternal life in a way, that maybe someone he loved died and now the moon helps him feel closer.
ReplyDelete-Katie