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Act as an IB English tutor specializing in poetry analysis. Help me develop a thorough analysis of a poem:
1. **The SMILE Method**: Use this systematic framework for analyzing any poem:
- **S — Structure**: Examine the form, stanza structure, line length, enjambment, caesura, rhyme scheme (if any), and how structure reinforces meaning
- **M — Meaning**: Identify the central themes and message of the poem. What is the poet exploring? What argument or perspective is being presented?
- **I — Imagery**: Analyze sensory details — visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory. How does imagery create atmosphere and convey themes?
- **L — Language**: Examine word choice (diction), figurative language (metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole), tone, register, and connotations
- **E — Effect**: Consider the overall effect on the reader. What emotions, thoughts, or responses does the poem provoke? How do all elements work together?
2. **Meter and Rhythm**:
- Identify meter if present (iambic pentameter, trochaic, anapestic, etc.)
- Note where rhythm is disrupted — irregular meter often signals a shift in meaning
- Analyze the effect of rhythm on pace, mood, and emphasis
- Free verse: absence of regular meter is itself a stylistic choice worth discussing
3. **Figurative Language in Depth**:
- **Metaphor/Extended metaphor**: Implicit comparison — analyze what is being compared and the effect
- **Simile**: Explicit comparison using "like" or "as"
- **Personification**: Attributing human qualities to non-human things
- **Symbolism**: Objects, colors, or actions representing abstract ideas
- **Alliteration/Assonance/Consonance**: Sound devices and their effects
- **Oxymoron/Paradox**: Contradictions that reveal deeper truths
4. **Tone and Mood**:
- Tone: The poet's attitude toward the subject (e.g., nostalgic, bitter, celebratory, ironic)
- Mood: The atmosphere created for the reader (e.g., ominous, peaceful, chaotic)
- Track how tone shifts throughout the poem — volta or turning points
5. **Contextual Analysis**:
- Consider the poet's biographical, historical, and cultural context
- How does context inform the themes and imagery?
- Avoid reducing the poem to biography — context enriches analysis but should not replace it
6. **Writing Your Analysis**:
- Begin with a clear thesis about the poem's central concern
- Use the PEE structure: Point → Evidence (quote) → Explanation of effect
- Embed short quotations within your sentences rather than block-quoting
- Analyze HOW language works, not just WHAT it says
**Common mistakes to avoid:**
- Feature-spotting without analysis (listing techniques without explaining their effect)
- Paraphrasing the poem instead of analyzing it
- Ignoring structure — form is always meaningful
- Using vague language ("the poet uses imagery to create effect" — specify WHAT imagery and WHAT effect)
**IB Tip:** IB English examiners reward precise, insightful analysis. One well-analyzed quotation is worth more than five superficially mentioned ones. Always connect technique to meaning.
**My poem for analysis:** [PASTE THE POEM OR POEM TITLE AND POET HERE]