Beloved Poet, Shel Silverstein

However, there are some hidden themes, some think, that promote some extreme subjects that no child should ever read. For example, some claim that, just because of his earlier career with Playboy, his illustrations in his poem books are ‘suggestive’ to sexual desires and the like. Some psychologists claim the book The Giving Tree suggests a “vicious, one-sided abusive relationship” between the tree and the boy where the tree was the selfless giver and the boy the greedy person who takes but never gives. Finally, an elementary school in Mukwonago, Wisconsin claimed that the themes that were in Where the Sidewalk Ends promoted “drug use, suicide, death, Satan, and cannibalism”.On the contrary, many people praised Silverstein for his nature of writing, going beyond people that, at the time, had not dared to write about. He wrote that people can have their own opinions and that, if we could stop having hate in the world, maybe, just maybe, we could have a “great big hug over the world, full of

Shel Silverstein is an accomplished poet, cartoonist, songwriter, and playwright that has made an impact on children’s literature in ways that one could never imagine. Silverstein’s quirky writing style and fun black and white cartoons attached to his poems, drew many kids to enjoy his poetry even though they did

Born in 1902 in Salinas, California, Nobel Prize winner, John Steinbeck, was one of the most important writers in America during the 20th century. In his novels, East of Eden, Of Mice and Men, Cannery Row, and In Dubious Battle, Steinbeck explores what it takes for a person to find true happiness in life. Steinbeck addresses the pursuit for happiness in one’s life—the American Dream—, by questioning modern idea of it being achieved through material items and the path people take to accomplish it. Steinbeck also addresses the happiness people find in relationships and how connecting to someone can affect a person’s decisions in life. To communicate his ideas with the reader, Steinbeck creates the storyline of his novels, connecting his

The relationship between a parent and child is potentially one of the most influential in a child’s life. A positive interaction often yields admiration, love or a sense of support. A negative relationship may yield distrust, animosity or a sense of solitude. Theodore Roethke’s poem, “My Papa’s Waltz,” describes the admiration of his hardworking father. The speaker, a young boy, depicts roughhousing with his father in the form of a waltz; expressing his desire to stay up and spend more time together though their relationship is detached. Seamus Heaney’s “Digging,” instills a sense of respect, pride, and a slight affliction for the speaker’s choice of the pen over the spade. The speaker has chosen a different path in life than that of his father and grandfather. Although written at different stages in life, both Roethke and Heaney write a poem about their families utilizing vivid imagery to demonstrate the love and pride they felt for these men.

Poetry like so many other things in life is complicated and easily misunderstood, similar to the poem entitled “Poetry” by Marianne Moore. Through her unique way of writing Moore uses literary devices imagery and personification to make the readers question why it is she has come to “dislike”(line 1) poetry. In particular, her word choice leaves a lot of room to wonder exactly why she has chosen to write it this way. A main theme that is represented in this poem is conformity and whether or not it is something to be followed.

Stephen Bilkey C. Vogelpohl ENG-102 7/27/2015 Shel Silverstein “If you are a dreamer, come in, if you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer…” It’s in these words that Shel Silverstein’s poem “Invitation” opens a reader’s mind to a whole new world. One with flying children, animals

The life of Shel Silverstein “Anything can happen child. Anything can be”, Silverstein was an amazing children’s poet. The majority of his poems are very positive, happy and uplifting. His poems have been read by multiple generations and they will continue to be

The Delicate Balance between Innocence and Experience William Blake’s “The Chimney Sweeper” in his Songs of Innocence is a literary masterpiece that is still relevant and impactful in the modern world. In lovely form and description, Blake explains the atrocities and hardships of the Industrial Age in a poem suitable for school-age children and with the beautiful simplicity that only a writer like Blake could produce. The Songs of Innocence is a look into the purity and wonderful outlook on life that children usually have. While in its counterpart, the Songs of Experience, Blake uses adults as protagonist. The Songs of Experience is a look at the effects that hardships and failures have on adults, therefore having a pessimistic outlook toward life. In his these two works, Blake produces a parallel universe between childhood and adulthood where the optimism of dreams of childhood and the bitterness and stagnation of adulthood never seem to know one another.

At the mention of the name, “John Steinbeck,” many associations can be made to the classic works produced by the man. However, he did not begin his life as a

Analysis of "Where the Sidewalk Ends" Within the poem "Where the Sidewalk Ends," Silverstein warns of the materialistic obsession of adults, view the world from the perspective of children. This poem's underlying message was quintessential to its critical success within the 1970's, due to America's economic turmoil and uncertainty. During this era, America was still plagued with the Cold War and the Oil Crisis, which proved detrimental to the U.S. economy and overall wealth of individuals. Consequently, the materialistic obsessions of adults was an ill-fated path, as this era is hallmarked by the lack of material wealth. Thus, through the use of elaborate sound devices and imagery, Silverstein creates a profound underlying sentiment that warns

Childhood is a time in which one’s personality begins to be revealed and shaped. Though everyday events in one’s childhood may seem insignificant, these mundane moments will be remembered long into adulthood. These ordinary moments can be seen in a glimpse of Theodore Roethke’s poems. Throughout Roethke’s childhood and adult

It is hard to believe that Jerome David Salinger, the famous author who won millions of people’s hearts, the microphone that spoke teenager’s feelings of all ages, and the embodiment of American Literature, was not at all elated by the rich and fame from his smash hit, but was the catalyst of his shutdown from society. Salinger was afflicted by the vociferous paparazzi for his works, and ironically, the same works were his gateway to sanctuary. He was suffering multiple mental illnesses through his lifetime, as anyone can witness from his literary works. His peculiar demands for solitude, and his adamant pursuit to take legal action against those who would mimic his style or borrow his characters were signs of mental distress. All this is

Like any other eight year old boy, Hirsch loved sports, but he also fell in love with poetry. He found and read a copy of Emily Brontë’s “Spellbound” and loved it. As a child, he did not read a lot or really enjoy it, but through his mother’s coaxing with books about sports, he read. Hirsch’s grandfather helped develop his poetic skills. His grandfather wrote poetry but his was very unconventional because he wrote in Hebrew from

I Saw Louisiana in a Live-Oak Growing Walt Whitman is considered one of the most important writers in the history of American Literature. The people of his own time called him a radical, a madman, and a pornographer. These days he is greatly appreciated and entitled as a fearless prophet of a new stage of human development. Sometimes Whitman would be in a slump and he felt that he needed to deflect the people who inquired too directly. This even meant using examples of homosexual elements in his work, as well as unbelievable stories of him having affairs with numerous women and fathering many children, unknown to him. Throughout these sorts of times W. Whitman has gone through both resentment and flattery, nevertheless showing us

The vivid imagery incorporated throughout “The Gift” is characteristic of Li-Young Lee’s writing style. Li-Young Lee specifically portrays vivid imagery through the use of metaphors. For instance, in the poem, Li-Young Lee states that his father’s voice was “a well of dark water, a prayer.” This metaphor used by Li-Young Lee allows readers to vividly picture the type of man his father was. By comparing his father’s voice to “dark water,” the poet illustrates the gentleness of his father. This is because the sound of water tends to bring peace and comfort to those who listen. Similar to water, the sound of his father’s voice radiated with