Class 11 English Lesson 11: who are you, little i?: References to the Context

 

References to the context 

a.     Why do you think Cummings has placed a semicolon between the words window and at?

The poet has used the semicolon (;) between the two words to provide a break in the long sentence while keeping the thought flowing. In such situations, a semicolon works stronger than a comma, as in the present sentence structure.

b.     If the speaker is the child grown up, why does he ask, "who are you"?

There is no doubt that the speaker is the child grown up. Still, he puts the question. It may be because he is struggling to recall the wonderment of his youthful days. Or maybe, it is his incredulity that there is still a youthful presence in himself enjoying nature. 

c.      In this poem, an adult reflects on a childhood experience. Based on that, what might be the theme of the lines: "(and feeling: that if day / has to become night /this is a beautiful way)"?

The clear theme of these lines is 'death'. It is a touchy way to describe an unwelcome transition from the joyful youth to the end of life. 

d.     What is the rhyme scheme used in the poem?

Rhyme scheme is the pattern of sounds that repeat at the end of a line or stanza. The rhyme scheme of this poem is: AB AB  CD ED.

e.      Explain the pun in "little i" that is related to what he is doing?

Pun is a type of word play that exploits multiple meanings (more than one meaning). Pun sometimes suggests different meanings. It is the writing style of the poet to uncapitalize the first-person pronoun 'I'. By adding 'little' in 'little i', he expresses the boy to be very little. One meaning of it is that the boy is a little child in comparison to his present adulthood. Another meaning might be that he lowers the importance of self with his experience.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x1QhDuaq7U 

f.     How does Cumming's use of lowercase letters affect your understanding of the poem? Explain. 

His use of lowercase letters gives us a smaller feel. It gives the feeling of being smaller in comparison to time. It de-emphasizes the self and promotes the time.

 

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