A Woman in Front of a Bank

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A WOMAN IN FRONT OF

A BANK

THESIS

 William Carlos Williams uses this ballad to interpret what the world metaphorically is and what it revolves around.

STRUCTURE

 The poem is a ballad (Narrative poem with 4 lined stanzas).

 Very precise punctuation just like a bank would be with money.

 Only two periods throughout the whole poem.

 Internal Rhyme (Stanza 1 ‘convention, unlike invention)

 Syntax

 Incremental repetition (End of Stanza 2 and beginning of Stanza 3)

LANGUAGE

 Analysis- through the whole poem Mr. Williams analyzes the bank and the woman somewhat comparing them both.

 Extended Metaphor (Woman maybe a metaphor for…)

 Irony (Unconventional use of a period by the word convention)

 Juxtaposition of Bank/Woman and Lenin/Darwin

 “Solid as a rock” People unsure about their investments

STYLE

 Tone- Sarcastic

 Satire

 Allusion (Darwin and Lenin)

DARWIN/LENIN

 Vladimir Lenin was know for his socialist economic policies.

 Darwin constructed the theory of “survival of the fittest” that came from Natural Selection.

Williams wanted to compare the economy, by using Lenin as an example, and life, by using Darwin as an example.

This adds emphasis to how the world is revolved around money.

SOUND

 Rhyme

 Alliteration “L”

 Sound of Syllables (They count down)

INTERPRETATION

 The world revolves around money. That is how society sees you is by your income. By what you wear, look like, and what you can spend.

We as people metaphorically speaking are walking banks.

 Also that the world is just self hallucination of sturdiness and strength. When in reality the world is doubtfulness and weakness.

INTERPRETATION

 Williams compares both a bank and a woman. As a woman can bare child, one can invest their money. A child has the potential to be something great and do something great in the world, money can flourish and also has the potential to do something great.

 The woman’s body is symbolism as the bank structure itself.

ACTIVITY

 You have found $10,000 and you are going to keep it all. You’re going shopping do you keep the style you have now? Or do you move to the Gucci, Louise, and Prada? Why?

 You have two job offerings; one for a job that pays $600,000 a year but all you will be doing something you hate repetitively and the other that pays $62,000 a year but it is something you love to do. You have a day to choose. Which do you pick? Why?

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