Sharon Olds Essay

In the poem "True Love" by Sharon Olds, the author describes a couple who seems to be happy on the surface, but upon closer reading, the reader finds out that is not the case. Although the poem seems to be about a couple who is madly in love, the negative connotation throughout the lines leads the reader to believe that the woman feels trapped and bound in her relationship. The word "bound" can be found several times in the poem, and it definitely helps reveal the true meaning of this poem.

First Thanksgiving The poem First thanksgiving by Sharon Olds is a fascinating and personal poem about a nostalgic mother eagerly anticipating the next time her daughter will come home from college. The author’s natural ability to connect with the reader and make the reader feel for the nostalgic mother is impressive to say the least. This is possible through the uses of literary devices such as Imagery and Seasonal Symbolism. These literary devices are implemented into the story in order to grasp

“The Glass” by Sharon Olds is an autobiographical piece which outlined one of the most memorable events for the author as she witnessed her father dying of cancer. Although the poem is about her father, her father is placed as an auxiliary character to the glass that he continuously spits up his phlegm and mucus into. The contents of the glass are described in gruesome detail while her father is slowly withering away beside it quietly. The author had a tumultuous relationship with her father as he

“On the Subway” In “On the Subway,” Sharon Olds illustrates the differences of two individuals which contrast in a single characteristic. The narrator’s thoughts give more in depth understanding to how he feels about the boy on the other side of the subway car. Sharon Olds conveys the views of society about black and white people. Consequently, the reader can understand that even though everyone is supposed to be equal at the time, it can be seen that there is a vast space in between. At the beginning

Sharon Olds and Linda Pastan are renowned post-modernistic poets who aptly portray domestic life based on their perceived ideas of women in the home and personal family experiences. Sharon Olds refuses to give details about her personal life, but her poems appear to be autobiographical in nature (Encyclopedia of Women’s Autobiography credoreference.com). In this week’s poems Sharon Olds explores motherhood (herself and her mother), sexuality, and a not so fond memory of her father. Olds’ references

The poem “On the subway” by Sharon Olds contrast two different people that share the same public transport. The author let knows the reader that they are from different worlds, because how he describes their clothes and the different type of skin tone. The narrator is the one from a high society the clothes that she is wearing, while the other person is describe as a man who is maybe from the street. In addition, the narrator is feeling scared about the other person, she thinks he might rob her

In her poem “On the Subway,” Sharon Olds discusses the issue of racial profiling. She begins to describe how she profiles the “black” man sitting opposite her as a mugger; however, she also seemingly explains his thoughts in her point of view. To convey her thoughts, she uses simile, detailed descriptions, and tone to express her emotions and provide a visual image of her encounter with the black man on the subway. Firstly, she begins her poem by describing the man’s attire and its similarities to

feeling, the one someone has as they walk through a sketchy crowd or pass by a person who looks like they can potentially end a life. But sitting across one on a moving train for who knows how long, is another story. In the poem “On the Subway” by Sharon Olds, she narrates an experience a young woman on a moving train. She is able to convey the speaker’s dilemma by employing tone, imagery, and organization The speaker starts off by describing the boy she encountered: “His feet are huge, in black sneakers

Thesis: In “The Possessive”, Sharon Olds uses a simple haircut to depict the splitting of ends between mother and daughter. Quotes: “In her bright helmet/she looks at me as if across a/great distance” (Olds 15-17). The narrator's daughter’s new hairstyle pushes them farther apart from a close mother bird’s watchful eye to then only being allowed to watch the spreading of her baby’s wings. The distance grows as the baby leaves the nest, in this case the first decision made by the daughter. The

Have you ever encountered a stranger and wondered how different their life may be from yours? “On the Subway,” a poem by Sharon Olds tells a story of an encounter like this. The author paints a picture of how the narrator’s life is the polar opposite of the man sitting across from her, and then walks the readers through the narrator’s thought process. Through imagery, poetic devices, and organization, the author takes readers on a journey with the narrator. Imagery creates contrast between the two