Poetry and Recitation Analysis
Part One: The textbook editors want to add an example for students into the textbook of a standard literary analysis that follows the rules of the genre and academic writing. You have been asked to edit one of the essays on “The Fish,” by Elizabeth Bishop turn it into an academic piece of writing. You are expected to revise the essay to include the traditional hallmarks of academic writing, he textbook publishers consider the essays to be too long and would like the argument to be no more than 400 – 500 words, so they would like you to argue for only two points related to the topic of how the poem is a good representation of Modernist poetry.
Part Two: Along with a recitation of the poem by the poet him or herself, the editors would like to include one amateur recitation. Pick one of the provided recitations below to review, considering one way in which the reading is consistent with how the poet him or herself recites the poem and one way the recitation is not consistent with how the poet recites the poem. You may consider tone, pacing, emphasis of words, and body movements that either enhance or detract from the content.
In the conclusion, as you wrap up your analysis, consider the following: Does the amateur recitation increase a reader’s understanding of the poem? Why or why not? Why would you or would you not choose to include the recitation in the textbook? This should be one formal page of writing only and should have a hook, argument, a body paragraph, and a conclusion.
