The image that stood out to me in "A Pair of Silk Stockings" was the image of her children with new clothing: "The vision of her little brood looking fresh and dainty and new for once in their lives excited her and made her restless and wakeful with anticipation." I could picture her children with the new things she would buy for them and how excited that would make her and realized that was the true reason she would be happy. If she could just do better things for her family with more money she could be a happy mother. This image works with the rest of the text as a whole because she is imagining greater things for herself and her family.
In Rita Dove's "Daystar" the image that gave me a reaction was "She had an hour, at best, before Liza appeared pouting from the top of the stairs." I think I had a strong reaction to this image because of the pain and agony the woman in the poem feels for having no time to herself. I would have a much different reaction if my young daughter were to awaken and want me attetnion. I have a little much younger sister and I know that everytime she is busy or sleeping when I am home I am sad, I just want to play and hang out with her. The woman is so sad in the poem, and I wish it were not that way.
Many images flood over me when reading "Why I Want a Wife" but the one that really stands out to me is "I would like to go back to school so that I can become economically independent, support myself, and, if need be, support those dependent upon me. I want a wife who will work and send me to school." This image reminds me of women today and how many more are getting their own degrees and supporting themselves as single mothers. This image works with the rest of the text because it is just one of the many things the author want from a "wife" of her own.
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I agree with your thoughts on the images portrayed in "Why I Want A Wife". I was also reminded of women today that are getting their degrees, holding jobs, and still taking on the roles of being a mother and a wife. I think this connection is important because it represents the different roles of women from various time periods.
ReplyDeleteI find your response to "Daystar" very interesting. I took a different approach to the poem because I felt that the time she had alone was time she was embracing. I agree that she was sad in the poem, however the time she had seemed to be a time of regrouping for her.
A Pair of Stockings: You mention that in the beginning of the piece the woman is "if she could do better things for her family she could be a happy mother", but I am curious why you think this image works with the rest of the poem. What is your reaction to the way the woman spends the money? Do you think that the ending still supports this vision of the woman wanting better things for her family?
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