The author of this poem is criticizing Mr. T for being a poor role model for black youth for playing stereotypical roles and selling out over it. He also compares Mr.T to an animal, and emphasizes that he is under control by comparing his chains to a leash.

Describing the stereotype that African American people are "violent" that Mr. T is feeding in to.

This is possibly claiming that the show, "The A-Team" Mr. T stars in is racist for creating a stereotype of a black man for entertainment. Mr. T is possibly "drugged & duffled" by getting blind by his fame and potential money to earn without recognizing what he is actually doing. This may be alluding to the slave trade(?)

Man made, muscle, and migration is alliteration used to create the rhythm of the piece as well as set up the tone. This poem is not in favor of Mr. T's work, and he sees him as being created by someone else's pieces rather than being his own person. The author also utilizes enjambment which, in this case, increases the speed of the poem which clarifies the author's emotions about Mr. T. He is angry, and possibly disappointed in him and what he does.

After her day, when she gets a moment alone without her children or her husband, she imagines the "palace" she was creating in her head and visualizes having a place of her own. The time she gets alone is rare, but it is her time, and it is all she has of her own.

Sometimes when the woman was outside she would have something to look at to distract her from her own life, but when there wasn't anything there she was forced to think about her own loneliness and how short her freedom is. She wants to be more than the person her children rely on, she wants to do something new rather than the same dull activities day in and day out. The peaceful images stated contrast with her own "vivid blood".

The verb "lugged" used to describe how she carried the chair describes how exhausted she is. "Lugged" usually means to carry or drag a heavy object with great effort. She may not have to use a lot of her physical energy to perform this action, but she does have to use a lot of her mental energy for it.

The first half and the second half of this poem are sonnets, which also utilize iambic pentameter. Iambic pentameter sets a rhythm, and in this poem, I would compare it to a heartbeat. I imagine that if I was in battle, the anxiety, fear, and trauma would cause me to hear my heartbeat in my ears, so I believe the heartbeat-feeling I got is intentional to further convey how awful this all is.

Owen also uses an ABAB, CDCD rhyme scheme which can establish the form and give the reader a feeling of pleasure when they can predict the next word. However, due to the words chosen for the end of each line, all I feel is the misery seeping out of the page. The audience of this poem is unable to just sit and read through it, all of the poetic devices utilized captivates the reader and forces a sense of distress and misery onto them.

Owen frequently uses imagery in this poem to paint a vivid picture of the horrific sights one will see in battle. This quote here disturbed me the most, imagining someone's face as they are dying is not a pleasant thought, and the "white eyes writhing in his face" is horrific. I cannot find the words to describe how terrible seeing someone realizing those moments will soon be their last would be.

The "s" sound used is alliteration. There are many instances of alliteration within this piece, but this one stood out the most to me. Alliteration is a way for the author to create a quick rhythm in their writing, setting the pace. This piece utilizes the fast pace in reference to how quickly the action of war, destruction, and death occurs..

The narrator confronts those who do not participate in the war stating that if they saw what he saw they would stop celebrating and praising those who participate. They would not tell their children that dying in battle is an honorable death. This quote is attacking propaganda stating that war is prideful, or something to celebrate when in reality it is death and annihilation.

The briefness of the stanza makes it stand out against the rest, it seems personal or significant.

The language chosen like "old beggars" and "hags" accentuate their age or ability to march through the terrains to be poor. The audience can imagine their exhaustion. These descriptors do not make the men on the battlefield seem like heroes.

The persimmons symbolize their culture and love, while the kids and the teacher at school may have not understood them, it is a vital aspect of the writer's life. His feeling toward the persimmons versus the other kids sets him apart from the rest of them, but causes a greater connection between him and his family.

The birds singing near the persimmons while they were becoming ripe reminds him of what his mother said about persimmons.

The persimmons encourage him to remember a happy, loving memory with his mother.

The speaker begins this poem with an embarrassing childhood story. Mrs. Walker may think that this is simple, the words may sound similar but they are clearly two different things to her. But to him, they are connected. He understands the meanings of the words even if he does not know which word is which. Beginning the poem this way sets the tone, making it feel sad.

The writer uses enjambment, building drama and forcing readers to continue to finish the sentence.

By saving Bobby, Mr. Kapasi acted more like a parent than either of Bobby's biological ones do.

• She confirms she is unhappy with her marriage, claiming Mr. das is a poor husband that didn't acknowledge the suffering she occurred from being a mother.
• She admitted to neglecting her son Ronny to have her affair, proving she is a poor mother.
• When Mrs. Das brings up their ages, Mr. Kapasi realizes she thinks of him as a father rather than a potential partner.
• She is turning to him as someone who is a good communicator. And while Mr. Kapasi is an interpreter, he completely misinterpreted how she was feeling about him.

He believed he may get a moment of intimacy with her when they were alone together. But instead, he gets a confession that she cheated on Mr. Das and that Bobby was not his.

Mr. and Mrs. Das are once again bickering.

He can't even stand to think about being away from her again.

Mr. Kapasi has never seen his wife naked, but he is admiring Mrs. Das's body. He's not thinking of what his wife may look like, signaling they aren't close or "in love"

He desperately wanted to keep in touch with Mrs. Das, hoping he could write his address correctly so they could chat again. He is fantasizing about what may happen when she just said they would send copies of the photos.

Mr. Kapasi is interested in Mrs. Das.

His child passed. He has a wife. And he has experienced a major tragedy that he may even feel guilty for as he was trying to pay for his son's bills. After his death, he desperately tried to provide a better life for his family in hopes of "making up" for his son's death.

He had to take the job to care for his child. Mrs. Das would never do something like that.

Mr. Kapasi doesn't and hasn't enjoyed his job translating.

Mrs. Das is interested in Mr. Kapasi, wanting to learn more about his "romantic" job and offering him gum when she wouldn't even offer her own kids some snacks.

Mr. Kapasi actually enjoys his job and sees it as a reward. Also, the fact that he has to work two jobs to make ends meet is a large contrast from Mr. Das, who can go on vacation with his whole family on a teacher's salary.

This is the second time the couple has spoken to each other so far, and they are arguing again. They clearly are not in a happy marriage.

The mother once again proves herself to be neglectful or caring in any way towards her daughter, denying to paint her nails and going as far as to blame her mistake on her kid. She puts herself before her own kids.

She is distancing herself from the family, making it seem like she is miserable to be a part of it or to even be on this trip. She does not care about her children the way a caring mother should.

Mr. Kapasi may believe they have a cultural divide here, but I also find it strange for him to use his wife's first name to his daughter.

Reading a guidebook about India solidifies them being tourists.

Mr. and Mrs. Das may not be mature enough to be caretakers of children, and certainly not that many.

The story beginning with conflict sets a mood for the rest. Mr. and Mrs. Das being reluctant to be with their daughter could be a sign of narcissism or neglect. The fact that Mrs. Das doesn't hold hands with her daughter could show that they aren't close.

Lieutenant finally decided he wanted to move on. He knew it wouldn't change the past but he truly hoped it would change the future. He doesn't want to be responsible for anyone's death.

These men could have an easy way out, but they refused. They did not want to be spoken of the way they speak about men who leave by harming themselves.

They became so numb to each other's death. This was part of their life, part of their routine. They got extremely desensitized.

He was envious that he didn't feel like the lieutenant. He was just grateful it wasn't the one dead. But he wanted to grieve like the lieutenant.

Kiowa truly believes that Lieutenant is having an incredibly hard time coping with Lavender's death. And he was, but probably not for the reasons Kiowa was thinking.

Lieutenant Cross has come to accept that Martha would not feel the same towards him and that he needs to be mentally and physically invested in the war and his men to protect them and help them survive. He is losing the ability to dream of hope.

They've grown used to accepting the deaths of their friends, and in some cases the way they talk about them or treat other bodies is insensitive, but it is normal for them.

He felt like he didn't belong here, he did not have the maturity to not think about Martha. He saw himself as a kid, and he wanted to be free from this all.

The fantasy to be carrying nothing is a symbol of freedom. To get all the weight taken off of his shoulders and out of his mind, he would truly be free again. He is desperate to be a free young man again.

They've grown to accept their situation and the duties they have to perform, even if their life is on the line.

Maybe she actually did like him back?

He feels like Ted's death was entirely his fault due to his imagination, and to distract himself from the guilt he kept thinking about her.

Photographs remind the soldiers what they left behind to help them keep pushing forward it survive the war. The lieutenant carrying photos of Martha means he considers her to be an incentive to survive to get back to her.

Why is his caution towards white people an important detail to this story?

Items mentioned are anything they find important enough to add weight on their backs, making their lives a little harder.

Martha was a wonderful distraction since she ignored the war. I'm sure when reading these letters he enjoyed the escapism.

Martha and Lieutenant Cross feel differently towards each other. He loves her, thinking of her is the only way he deals with the hell he is going through. But he also knows that she does not feel the same.

The things that these men carry are not just weapons, ammo, or rations. It's not just photographs, lucky rocks, or rabbit feet. These men carry emotions like love, grief, regret, and fear. Every burden these men carry is added weight, even if it's not physically. Their memories and their imagination are almost the only way for them to escape the torture they endure every day.

The "cup of trembling" is a symbol taken from the Bible in Isaiah 51.

“See, I have taken out of your hand The cup of trembling, The dregs of the cup of My fury; You shall no longer drink it. But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you,

The story of Isaiah is full of suffering, and this specific passage represents God finally taking all that suffering away, similar to how Sonny's music rid the suffering of those listening as well as his own suffering by preforming his music.

The narrator finally understood why Sonny liked music, it can cause relief from the suffering even when acknowledging it. After all of the struggling, he finally learned to have empathy and care for his brother.

Sonny is the only person who is happy while looking out of a window. He creates his own light, and believes in himself.

Sonny had finally found people that supported him and accepted him, he didn't need blood anymore.

He felt once again mocked for what he wanted to be.The music was saving him, and it was going to help him stop suffering, but he found out them letting him play was for support and love of his brother, but not him.

Sonny's music caused suffering on the family.

Sonny wants to be more than what society wants him to be or what Harlem will allow him to be

Sonny came to the realization that he couldn't lean on his brother for support anymore

He did not support his brother's career decisions, or really support him at all.

He promised his mother he would be there for his brother and take care of him, but he did not follow through. This could contribute to the guilt he felt when he found out the news about Sonny in the paper.

She wanted protect her kids from the knowledge of suffering, but she needed to let him know what could happen now that he was grown.

In the beginning, the narrator couldn't believe his brother got sucked into the suffering because he was a good kid. But his mother warned him that it can happen to anyone.

Children are aware of their suffering that is certain to come and they don't want to have to go through it like their family did.

His father always wanted to give his family better, but failed to succeed. The narrator is also searching to give his family better.

The narrator compares Sonny and his father to each other saying they are the same, when in reality the narrator is far more like his father.

Despite the fact that Sonny and his family are having a good time, the narrator cannot stop thinking about Sonny's potential return to addiction.

He has children growing up the same way he did. He knows that his children are going to struggle the way he and Sonny did, and he feels guilty and disappointed he couldn't provide them with better. He also feels guilty for bringing Sonny back into the suffering.

Harlem grabs ahold of those living in it. It's nearly impossible to escape, and even if you do, it keeps a part of you with it that you won't get back.

For the first time, the narrator was interested to actually know that his brother had lived and gone through. This is because of what he learned from talking to Sonny's friend and the guilt he felt for not being there for him.

After feeling the guilt for not being there for his brother to help ease his suffering, he became more available to him and tried to be there for him more.

He only reached out to his brother after experiencing his own suffering. He never reached out to try to help his brother through his suffering,

Clearly, Sonny does not feel supported by his brother in his choice of being a musician.

What Sonny wrote to him made the narrator feel more guilty after realizing he has added to his own brother's suffering and his own. They both needed to talk rather than isolate from each other, but neither one reached out to the other.

Sonny has missed his brother, he needed him to be a part of his support system.

The narrator has grown by listening to this man's story, feelings, and experiences. This growth is going to effect him later.

Sonny's friend feels guilty that Sonny is struggling with addiction because he told him the heroin high felt amazing. He doesn't want Sonny to be suffering.

The narrator wishes to ignore the suffering and struggling happening in his community. He is aware it happens, but he wants to keep it away from himself. He doesn't want this suffering to affect him in any way, even emotionally.

Darkness is once again mentioned here.

The narrator lacks some empathy, unable to imagine people have problems like him, or a sad past.

The narrator once again offered Sonny's friend something, immediately after thinking he hates him and finds him repulsive.

Although the narrator stated he never liked Sonny's friend, he was always willing to give money or be a helping hand to him. He's grown up knowing this man, making him close like family. So close to family, in fact, that the narrator nearly mistook him for his own brother. Families can extend outside of blood, people within your community can be family.

"Darkness" is a word used to symbolize anxiety, suffering, or the general negativity within the world. This word is frequently repeated throughout the story, making it a motif.

Windows are also a motif in the story, and while one is not explicitly stated to be here the narrator seeing his own face would imply that is what he is looking at. Windows shed light on reality throughout the story, the window looking out into a dark tunnel in this case is used to symbolize denial.

Looking through windows is a common action in this story. Windows in art are usually used to symbolize change or hope. When one looks through the window, some light is shed on reality showing what is unattainable, sucking the hope out of those in Harlem.

The narrator is having a difficult time accepting that Sonny was in this condition, as he believed he was a good person which would prevent him from turning to drugs. Heroin usage or general drug addiction was common in Harlem.

The description of Sonny is a direct characterization of what he looked like and how he was as a person when he was younger.

The narrator makes it clear he hasn't seen Sonny in a long enough time that his appearance would have had to change.