TPCASTT Poetry Analysis

Title & Author of the Poem:

Title ​Before you even think about reading the poetry or 1. APO: Army Post Office w/ address
trying to analyze it, speculate on what you think the
poem ​might b​ e about based upon the title. Often time
2. Either a letter to someone else in the military or someone back home.
authors conceal meaning in the title and give clues in the
title. Jot down what you think this poem will be about…

Paraphrase ​Before you begin thinking about ​ he young man is trying to keep the mood light for his mother but she is persistent in
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meaning or tying to analyze the poem, don't overlook the
knowing what it's truly like,then once he finally tells her the father becomes upset that he
literal meaning of the poem. One of the biggest problems
that students often make in poetry analysis is jumping to did.
conclusions before understanding what is taking place in
the poem. When you paraphrase a poem, write in your
own words exactly what happens in the poem. Look at
the number of sentences in the poem—your paraphrase
should have exactly the same number. This technique is
especially helpful for poems written in the 17th and 19th
centuries. Sometimes your teacher may allow you to
summarize ​what happens in the poem. Make sure that
you understand the difference between a ​paraphrase ​and
a ​summary.​
 Craft ​This refers to any and all poetic devices,
focusing on how such devices contribute to the
meaning, the effect, or both of a poem. You may
consider imagery, figures of speech (simile, metaphor,
personification, symbolism, etc), denotation and
connotation, point of view, and sound devices
(alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhythm, and rhyme). It is
not necessary that you identify all the poetic devices
within the poem. The ones you do identify should be
seen as a way of supporting the conclusions you are
going to draw about the poem.
​Metaphors and repetition.
Repetition is used to show his character development, changing from closed to open. Then
he returns to his closed nature because of their refusal to understand. The mother's
repetition, being of a concerned tone (line 13, 5, and 6), wanting to know the truth but not
handling it. Then she completely cuts herself off from her son.
Bullets (rain)
Monkeys (enemy)
Extremely orderly

Attitude​ ​Having examined the poem's devices and
clues closely, you are now ready to explore the multiple
attitudes that may be present in the poem. Examination
of diction, images, and details suggests the speaker's
attitude and contributes to understanding. You may refer
to the list of words on ​Tone t​ hat will help you.
Remember that usually the tone or attitude cannot be
named with a single word Think ​complexity.
​ is tone, in a sense, is uplifting (but shallow) at first when he tries to cover up the sorrow
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and gloominess of war. Then his tone shifts to a straight forward type of attitude. Then he
returns to a shallow, secretive, but uplifting tone in the end. The mothers tone is stern and
concerned, but once his changes, along with his explanation upon his nature of being she
disappears

Shift ​Rarely does a poem begin and end the poetic ​Situational irony (18)
experience in the same place. As is true of most of us,
the poet's understanding of an experience is a gradual “So after a while”
realization, and the poem is a reflection of that
understanding or insight. Watch for the following keys Whenever he ends or pauses in his sentence with “replied,” “wrote,” “responded,” and so
to shifts:
on.
• key words, (but, yet, however, although)
• punctuation (dashes, periods, colons, ellipsis) Change in length on line 15 or 21
• stanza divisions
• changes in line or stanza length or both
The change from Mother to Father, and their unnatural response.
• irony The change in diction on line 16 from positive to negative and then later back to positive.
• changes in sound that may indicate changes in meaning
Awkward and shallow, then changes to much more seriousness then back to the basics.
• changes in diction
Superficial or shallow diction.

Title Revisited ​Now look at the title again, but this ​ ome and your connection to it should be your get away from the terrors of war but
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time on an interpretive level. What new insight does the
title provide in understanding the poem.
instead it is the exact opposite for him.
It's there for communication but here is no true communication.

Theme ​What is the poem saying about the human Civilians want the truth but they only want to hear acts of bravery, and once they get the
experience, motivation, or condition? What subject or
subjects does the poem address? What do you learn
truth (the pain and suffering) they don’t want to hear it. They do not understand and are
about those subjects? What idea does the poet want you willfully ignorant.
to take away concerning these subjects? Remember that
the theme of any work of literature is stated in a
complete sentence and expresses a clear lesson for the
reader.

Thesis Statement: ​By combining theme and craft, In Larry Rottmann’s heartbreaking piece, exhibits the situational irony in yearning for
please construct a formal thesis statement
knowledge but being ignorant to the gorey truth creating a cultural disconnect among
soldiers and civilians; thus alienating soldiers.

How to write a THESIS STATEMENT for POETRY: ​Provided by Mrs. Blevins :)

EXAMPLE of a THESIS STATEMENT​ you will be required to master next year:

In William Shakespeare’s ​provocative, heartbreaking​ tragedy, ​Othello,​ he ​utilizes​/uses/illustrates/demonstrates/shows/depicts both

common animal imagery and clipped, lewd language​ to illustrate that ​even the most noble and valiant of individuals can devolve and
mutate into beastial human beings and inelegant, base speakers.
Green illustrates my voice/opinion words;
Blue shows my two salient features;
Yellow indicates my theme statement.