- Write a summary of Edgar Allan Poe's The Bells and do the comprehension questions related to the poem on page 178. You must also write down the definitions of the five words listed under the vocabulary section on page 178.
- You must also write down my literary analysis of John Updike's Winter Ocean in the notes section of your notebook. I have posted this analysis in the comments section of this post.
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Winter Ocean Analysis
John Updike’s Winter Ocean is a poem that presents the nature of the ocean through a use of vivid, creative imagery and through the use of several poetic devices that are dependant upon the sound that words make. Updike calls the ocean by seven descriptive names— and each name refers to a different characteristic of the ocean. For example, he calls the ocean “many-maned” which refers to the way that the ocean’s surf resembles the manes of horses; this also could refer to the tangled seaweed that washes up in the surf. In addition to calling it many-maned, Updike uses other names to describe the ocean’s vast size (tub of male whales), the saltiness of the ocean (shrub-ruster), the ocean’s reflective surface and the noise of its waves (sky-mocker), the tides the ocean and the way that the tides wear down the surfaces of the ocean’s driftwood (portly pusher of waves, maker of worn wood), and the way that the ocean is pushed about by the wind (wind slave). With these names, Updike presents the ocean as having a complex and often contradictory nature. For example, the ocean is powerful enough to be a “scud-thumper”, yet it is also a “wind-slave”. Updike also reveals his relationship with the winter ocean in this poem— the entire poem is an apostrophe, since he commands it to “Rave!” This shows that Updike sees the ocean as a living, breathing being, a being capable of crying out in response to his challenge. Updike’s choice of names also reveals that he does not fear the ocean—he presents it in a creative and almost humorous tone—this is especially clear in the name “tub of male whales.”
Although vivid imagery plays a significant role within the poem, poetic devices related to sound play an even more significant role. In addition to internal rhyme (male whales) and end rhyme (tub, shrub, rave, slave), the poem is full of alliteration (many-maned, worn wood, portly pusher, waves, wind), assonance (scud-thumper, tub; shrub-ruster; male, whales, maker, rave, slave), consonance (thumper, maker, ruster, mocker, pusher), euphony (many-maned, male maker worn wood, waves, wind), and cacophony (scud- thumper, tub, sky-mocker, portly pusher). Updike chose to use these poetic devices as a way of mimicking the sounds that the ocean makes and as a way of mimicking the ocean’s contradictory nature- - at times, the ocean is much like euphony- - it is capable of creating a sense of peace, calm, and it is pleasant and relaxing to listen to. At other times, the ocean can be cacophonous- loud, disconcerting, and awe- inspiring. Lastly, the use of alliteration speeds up the pace of the poem while assonance slows the pace of the poem, and this also mirrors the way that the ocean’s motion can vary between fast and slow.
Overall, Updike’s purpose in Winter Ocean is to give his readers and understanding of the winter ocean’s nature, so that through his words, the readers can see the ocean and hear the ocean as if it were right before them.
Thank you for your winter ocean analysis.
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