Hoods by Paul Janeczko
Mallory Justis
Theme
The theme of this poem has to do with bullies and gangs, and problems. The poem's theme is telling you that trying to stay away from your problems can sometimes be better than facing them. The author develops the theme of this poem by describing an event in which someone is running from a gang. The reader sees that he is safe after he runs away for a while. The figurative language and sound devices also enhance important phrases that contribute to the meaning of the poem.
Poetic Devices
A sound device found in the poem is alliteration. An example of this is "pursuing pack." The alliteration helps to enhance the important ideas that contribute to the theme. There is also some rhythm to the poem, that is found in the different lengths of lines. The rhythm helps to emphasize the flow of the poem, making it easier for the author to express the theme. There is a small amount of repetition, such as the word "Spider." The repetition pulls out important factors in the poem. Some figurative language found in the poem is metaphor. An example of a metaphor is, "Spider." The author is using a spider to describe the leader of the gang. By comparing the gang leader to a spider, it helps the reader to visualize the gang member better. There is also a hyperbole, when the speaker is telling Raymond about his "death-defying escape." The exaggeration in this hyperbole enhances how the speaker felt about the situation. The poem also includes an analogy: "... they reminded me of crows huddled around a road kill." This analogy also helps to enhance the imagery of the poem. The imagery of the poem makes it easier for the reader to visualize what is happening, helping them to understand it better.
Speaker's Attitude
The speaker is probably a teenage boy, because he is running from a gang, and exaggerates his story. The speaker is someone who is curious, because he decides to see what a gang is doing, and he is also someone who is fearful. The speaker's tone is serious, and does not really change. He describes the exciting event in a way that makes it seem more serious and scary. The speaker is afraid as he describes the situation, which sets a mood of fear.
How does my poster reflect the mood of the poem?
My poster reflects the dark, fearful mood of the poem because the background has a yellow, dark sky, and a dirty railroad. This sets the mood of darkness, and makes you feel afraid, because the old railroad and the dirty environment give out bad vibes. The orange title reflects all of the energy that speaker is exerting as he runs. When you see energy and a dark, dirty place together, you think about running away, or something bad being there. The images of my poster helps to represent the fearful mood as well, because seeing gangs makes you scared, and along with the background, it makes you fearful of what might come.