Question

the writer by richard wilbur
in her room at the prow of the house
where light breaks, and the windows are tossed with linden,
my daughter is writing a story.
i pause in the stairwell, hearing
from her shut door a commotion of typewriter - keys
like a chain hauled over a gunwale.
young as she is, the stuff
of her life is a great cargo, and some of it heavy
i wish her a lucky passage.
but now it is she who pauses,
as if to reject my thought and its easy figure.
a stillness greatens, in which
the whole house seems to be thinking.
and then she is at it again with a bunched clamor
of strokes, and again is silent.
i remember the dazed starling
which was trapped in that very room, two years ago;
how we stole in, lifted a sash
and retreated, not to affright it;
and how for a helpless hour, through the crack of the door,
we watched the sleek, wild, dark
and iridescent creature
batter against the brilliance, drop like a glove
to the hard floor, or the desk - top,
and wait then, humped and bloody,
for the wits to try it again; and how our spirits
rose when, suddenly sure,
it lifted off from a chair - back,
beating a smooth course for the right window
and clearing the sill of the world.
it is always a matter, my darling,
of life or death, as i had forgotten. i wish
what i wished you before, but harder.
directions: read the poem and complete the tpcastt method by answering the guiding questions provided for you.

1. title: what does this title suggest? what is the denotation of the writer? what are the connotations of the writer?
2. paraphrase: below, put each stanza of the poem into your own words. dont interpret or analyze the poem yet!
3. connotation: remember that this step is all about examining the poem for meaning beyond the literal. examine and explain the connotations found throughout the poem.
4. attitude: identify the speakers attitude toward the subject. then, explain how the poems diction, details, and imagery contribute to this tone.
5. shift: identify any major shifts in the poem. what indicates a shift? is there a change of attitude or mood? explain.
6. title: now its time to reexamine the title. what is its significance? what new insight can you now provide about the title?
7. theme: first, identify the subject(s) of the poem. then, determine what the poet thinks about this subject. write your theme in 1 complete sentence.
8. in lines 5 - 6, what is being compared in the simile?

Explanation:

1. TITLE: The title "The Writer" denotes a person who writes. Connotations could include creativity, solitude, and the process of crafting words. It suggests someone engaged in the act of writing, perhaps with a focus on the personal or artistic journey.
2. PARAPHRASE: In the first stanza, a daughter is writing a story in a room at the front of the house with linden - trees near the windows. The speaker pauses on the stairwell hearing typewriter - keys like a chain being hauled. In the second, the daughter's life is full of experiences, some heavy, and the speaker wishes her well. The third stanza shows the daughter pausing and then resuming writing. The fourth stanza recalls a starling trapped in the room two years ago. The fifth describes the starling's struggle and eventual escape. The last stanza relates the experience of the starling to the daughter's life, emphasizing the importance of life or death matters.
3. CONNOTATION: The typewriter - keys as a chain could connote the weight and labor of writing. The starling's struggle can connote the challenges in life. The house thinking during the daughter's pause may connote a sense of anticipation or reflection.
4. ATTITUDE: The speaker's attitude is one of concern, love, and hope. The diction like "lucky passage" and details about the starling's struggle and escape contribute to a tone of care and a recognition of life's difficulties. The imagery of the starling also adds to the sense of the speaker's empathy for the daughter's life journey.
5. SHIFT: There is a shift from the present - day scene of the daughter writing to the past memory of the starling. This is indicated by the phrase "I remember". The mood shifts from the focused activity of writing to a more nostalgic and reflective mood when recalling the starling.
6. TITLE (re - examination): The title now seems to signify not just a person who writes but also someone on a life journey, much like the starling. It implies that the act of writing is intertwined with the broader experiences of life, including struggle and escape.
7. THEME: The poem's subjects are the daughter's writing and the starling's experience. The poet thinks that life is full of struggles (like the starling's and the daughter's in her writing and life in general), and there is hope for a successful passage through these challenges.
8. Simile in lines 5 - 6: The sound of typewriter - keys is being compared to a chain hauled over a gunwale.

Answer:

1. Denotation: A person who writes. Connotations: Creativity, solitude, writing process.
2. See above paraphrase.
3. See above connotation explanations.
4. Attitude: Concern, love, hope. Tone contributed by diction, details, and imagery as explained.
5. Shift from present (daughter writing) to past (starling memory). Indicated by "I remember". Mood change from focused to nostalgic.
6. Signifies a life - journeying writer, with writing intertwined with life experiences.
7. Subjects: Daughter's writing, starling's experience. Theme: Life is full of struggles with hope for successful passage.
8. Sound of typewriter - keys compared to a chain hauled over a gunwale.