Analysis Of 'While You Were Away' By Richard Newman

In Michael Gow’s play ‘Away’, a story of families in the 1960’s and how they come to embrace each other’s differences through gaining self-knowledge. Through identifying the context of act 3 scene 2, as well as the relationships between characters and the reasons behind them, as well as the stylistic devices used by Gow to share a message with his audiences that, even today, an audience can relate too. By analysing quotes from the scene to support conclusions, the purpose of this scene will be identified and a greater understanding the theme of self-knowledge in this scene will be formed.

Michael Gow’s “Away” is an Australian play, set in the summer of 1967-68, in a time of great social and political change. “Away” tells the story of three families, each from different social classes, living in suburban Australia, as they each embark on their own holiday, attempting to escape their underlying personal issues. Immigrants Harry and Vic love their adopted country but are constantly faced with their son, Tom’s, terminal illness, while Jim and Gwen fret over their daughter Meg’s blossoming independence and her friendship with the socially unsuitable Tom, and Roy is unable to console a grief–stricken Coral over the death of their only son during the Vietnam war. Although each family is completely dissimilar, the theme of love remains

“Away” is a play written in 1988 by Michael Gow. Away refers to the central ideas of Australia in 1967-68. The central ideas embrace the outsiders, family conflicts and grief and loss which affected families in the play. Gow uses three main families to convey the message of the play. The use of language and stylistic devices influence the way Gow has been able to speak to the modern Australian audience. In the play “Away” Gow is able to speak to the modern Australian audience with the use of allusion. Gow alludes to two of Shakespeare’s plays; Midsummer Night’s Dream and King Lear, two well-known actors in the 1960’s; Chips Rafferty and Laurance Olivier and the Vietnam War. The modern audience would have to do research to

In “Surrounded by Sleep” by Akhil Sharma, Ajay has to deal with his new life after his brother Aman’s, accident. Ajay and his family’s lives revolve around Aman’s coma, uprooting their lives from New York to Virginia to be with him. In addition, a big part of their everyday routine is dedicated to Aman, such as constant prayers and visits. However, during a late night visit to Aman, Ajay is inspired by a musician on the television, who shouts at his fans to stop watching him and live their lives. This is a turning point for Ajay, as he realizes he has only been living for Aman, but wants his own life now.

“Away” is a historical play written in 1988 by Michael Gow. Away reflects to the central ideas, values and conflicts of Australia in 1967-68. The central ideas embrace outsiders, family conflicts and grief and loss which affected families in the play and in the time. Gow uses three main families to convey the message of the play. The use of language and stylistic devices influence the way Gow has been able to speak to the modern Australian audience. In the play, Gow is able to speak to the modern Australian audience with the clever, complex use of allusion. The modern audience would have to do research to understand the allusions in the play however on a superficial level the audience is still able to enjoy the central themes and ideas of the play.

“Between the World and Me”, by Ta-Nehisi Coates, is a letter written to his son about what it means to be black and how tough it is to be a part of this race in the United States of America. In this book, Coates talks about his life in the black community, starting from childhood memories all the way to present day. Coates also tries sends a message, which is that his son should not lower his guard and be completely confident about who he is, instead he should be afraid about what the world is capable of doing to a black man. In this work, Coates disagrees on what it means to be black or white in America.

The poem I chose to do a close reading essay on was, “Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep” by Mary Elizabeth Frye. “Mary Elizabeth Frye (1905-2004) is an American poet who remains known today for a single poem-a sonnet of just twelve lines-but it may be the most popular poem in the English language. “Do not stand at my grave and weep” is a consoling Holocaust poem and elegy with an interesting genesis, since it was written by a Baltimore housewife who lacked a formal education and had quite never written poetry before, and certainly none of note” (The HyperTexts). The tone of this poem is comforting and helps people find comfort with the view of death. This poem uses a lot of imagery, metaphors, and symbolism. Frye’s, “Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep,” is enlightening people how to handle a death of a loved one while using important parts of the theme such as tone, vocabulary, and overall meaning.

The main theme in Gone by Michael Grant is that people will stand up for what they believe in when they need to. In this book when everything is going wrong all people over the age of fifteen have disappeared into thin air and kids are all that's left in the FAYZ (fallout alley youth zone). Sam and Astrid, the two main characters, have to stand up to the kids that put themselves in charge of the FAYZ. Sam and Astrid are forced into a position of leadership and must stand up for what's right.

The poems, I liked reading the best were the two about Richard Cory. Edwin Arlington Robinson wrote the first one and Paul Simon wrote the other one. Edwin Robinson’s was written from the town’s point of view and Paul Simon’s was half and half. Half the town talking about Richard but you also heard Richard’s thought throughout it.

A poem which explores the feeling of loss is ‘Visiting Hour’ by Norman MacCaig. In this powerful and moving poem, the writer uses techniques such as imagery, symbolism and word choice to effectively grip the reader and keeps them with him throughout the poem.

The poem “visiting hour” by Norman MacCaig creates a strong emotional response it it’s a very sad poem and will make the reader sad. The poem is about a man in a hospital, during visiting hour, visiting a loved one. He takes us on his journey through this hospital where all he sees is death and illness. As he walks down the corridor he tries not to show emotion, although this changes the minute he sees his loved one in a coma which reminds him where she is, and of her illness. He uses lots of techniques to express his pain and sadness, which makes the reader imagine his pain and sorrow creating the emotional response in the reader.

The two poems I chose to analyze were “Curandera” by Pat Mora and “Loose Woman” by Sandra Cisneros. They were an interesting read and made sure to reread several times to make sure I got everything I could from them. Both poems are so unique from other poems I have read; they are also unique from each other yet share similarities as well.

Poem Essay Life is the constant struggle of a living thing constantly trying hard to survive. As things live on they must give things up in order the live to the fullest before death catches them. “The Chambered Nautilus” by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. is a rhyming poem that features a creature called a nautilus a cephalopod related to octopus and squids which he compares it’s empty shell to a sunken ship. “The Village Blacksmith” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a rhyming poem that features a blacksmith doing his job and playing his role in his family, he lives the life of an ordinary blacksmith and takes pride in his work.

Robert Frost is an iconic poet in American literature today, and is seen as one of the most well known, popular, or respected twentieth century American poets. In his lifetime, Frost received four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry, and the Congressional Gold Medal. However, Robert Frost’s life was not always full of fame and wealth; he had a very difficult life from the very beginning. At age 11, his father died of tuberculosis; fifteen years later, his mother died of cancer. Frost committed his younger sister to a mental hospital, and many years later, committed his own daughter to a mental hospital as well. Both Robert and his wife Elinor suffered from depression throughout their lives, but considering the premature deaths of three of their children and the suicide of another, both maintained sanity very well. (1)

action at war in 1917. This is whom this poem is about. She was a