To the Snake by Denise Levertov :: essays research papers

In the numbers To the Snake the root Denise Levertov use several writing techniques to portray coin and gambling. She uses syntax, sound imagery, color imagery, figurative language, and symbolism to represent funds and gambling. Symbolism is used cleverly through break the poem to depict a number of things that would take numerous readings to see.Throughout the poem the sentences are organise so that every another(prenominal) sentence is indented, with exception to the first dickens and the last four. In those sentences not indented the author chose to make every other sentence shorter so that the ends were uneven. This syntax structure gives the reader the feeling of something strenuous to catch or control. The author did this because money, as it is depicted in the poem, is something this individual arouset handle. In other words this person cant get control of money, kinda the want of money is controlling them. This introduces the idea of gambling into the poem. In t he poem it says, &8230I swore to my companions that certainly you were harmless, which is the typical statement of good deal addicted to gambling. Once again there is the control factor. This person can not control their desire for money and, the means of getting the money, gambling. another(prenominal) important syntax technique can be seen in suck 12. The poem says &8230for that joy, which left a long wake of amusement&8230 The words which left are put on a tie alone to draw attention to them. When read without stopping, the words make it search as if, &8230a wake of pleasure&8230, was left. However, if the channel is read again slowly, the line seems to say, &8230that joy&8230, left. The author did this to show that even though the joy left, the memory of pleasure was lock away there, which is why this person continues to gamble. Sound imagery is another writing technique put to use by Levertov in the poem. When reading the poem out loud, the reader no tices the S sound. The misleading S or hissing sound could be interpreted, by some readers, to be the sound of a snake. It is instead the sound of money. When gambling, it is oft necessary when betting on something to count money quickly. Paper money when rubbing together makes a hissing sound very a great deal like the sound you get when reading the poem. The hissing could also be attributed to the sound of machines or people in a casino.