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David Talamantez On The Last Day Of Second Grade Essay

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The poem David Talamantez on the Last Day of Second Grade by Rosemary Catacalos, and the song Gods Whisper by Raury are both similar in the matter in which the speaker is persistent on not conforming and values their self worth. Both speakers are outcasts because they don’t fit societal standards. The authors express how the protagonists cope through oppressive situations by diction and allegories. Raury uses his diction to express his stance on societal ideals throughout the song. In the first verse, Raury verbalizes, "I won't compromise/ I won't live a life/ On my knees"(1-3). The phrase "on my knees" has a customary connotation with surrendering. The meaning behind "I won't compromise" is the speaker vowing to not alter his disposition to fit the standards society has created for him. Raury continues to explain his position as the social pariah: the kid who's looked down upon and ignored out of disdain by adults. Although his situation seems daunting, the speaker is still able to encourage himself that he is worthy. Particular words he chooses throughout the song, like "Indigos" (18), have symbolism attached to them. He metaphorically describes …show more content…

The reader can infer that David doesn't come from the conventional household due to the first stanza. David has a single mother that works, implying he probably doesn't get much attention and hasn't been able to have obedience enforced onto him. Based on Catacalos word choice, David appears to be a troubled child who is insubordinate. At school he is constantly reprimanded for not meet standardized educational requirements. After analyzing the poem, the reader understands that David isn't simply an instigator, but a child that needs assistance. David is illiterate, but tries to do his assignments. If he were an absolute troublemaker, he wouldn’t make an effort in

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