H2 Literature E-Learning
Name: Jerald Chew 37/10
Theme
Similarity/Difference
Development and Response
Voice / gender:
� Who is the speaker?
Masculine or
feminine? Describe the
characteristics of the voice in
the
song / poem.
� What is the tone of voice
like?
The Speaker in the song and
poem is Feminine
In the song ,the speaker seems to be
feminine as she says ”I am the force
that in the springtime will grow.” This
seems to give readers the impression
that the speaker is mother nature and
is a life force. As females are usually
the one bringing life, like how all off
springs are delivered through females,
it seems to imply the speaker is
feminine.
Elements in the poem:
� What issues is the persona
in the
poem dealing with? (eg.
separation? loss?)
� What issues is the persona
in the
song dealing with (look at the
lyrics)
� Which deals with more
‘personal’
issues – the poem or the
song?
Similarity:
1. Both of them deal with the
issue of overcoming obstacles
in life, like separation and the
loss of someone close to heart.
The tone of both songs are one
that is forlorn and longing.
In the poem, it seems to have a male
speaker but however it has a very
femine tinge to it as he is longing for
his loved one so much and he is full of
emotions that he becomes very soft
like how “ Thus I; faltering forward,”
which is a portrayal of weakness that
usually is associated with a damsel in
distress
Difference:
1. The persona in the poem is
dealing with the loss of
someone very dear to him who
has left him. The persona in the
song sings about her
faithfulness, like how she will
be there through “hunger and
pain”, “wind and the pouring
rain”, and death, which shows
that no matter what the one she
loves is going through, she will
always be beside him.
In the poem, the persona begins
with establishing his emotions,
“Woman much missed”.
Throughout the poem, many
feelings towards the persona’s
lover is spoken by the persona
which
In the song, the voice hardly
reveals any feelings of the
persona but only dictates out
what she is willing to do. The
persona also seems omnipotent
in the song which thus makes
her less likely to be human and
thus void of the emotions of
one.
Hence,the poem is much more
personal as compared to the
2. The poem is more personal
song as more feelings and
as it deals with a specific issue, emotions are brought out by the
the loss of a loved one. It also persona as compared to the one
shows encapsulates several past in the song.
experiences with his ex-lover,
making the poem very personal,
as the persona is revealing his
innermost feelings. The song
however is very general. It just
mentions the various hardships
in life that one may go through
like the cold and death to
eccentuate the idea of the
persona being faithful and loyal
to accompany.
Relationships / Emotions:
� Who is the persona
addressing?
� How would you describe
the
relationship between the
persona
and the person/s (s)he is
speaking
to?
� What emotions are
expressed?
How are they expressed
differently in the poem & in
the
song?
� How do you know?
(consider
devices used to convey
emotions)
The persona in the poem is
addressing himself, and maybe
his lover, while the persona in
the song is addressing the
listeners.
Both persona show love to the
ones they are communicating
with, although the degree is
slightly different. In the poem,
the love has reached the point
of obsession, so much so the
The persona in the poem is so loss of the loved one is slowly
obsessed and infatuated with
killing the persona. This can be
his lover, to the point where
seen in “leaves around me
memories of the times she
falling” which can be seen as a
spends with him haunt him. His metaphor to show how there
excessive love for the woman is seems to be a void of life due to
expressed through how his
her absence.
happy moments with her pain
him no wthat they are apart.
In the song the, the persona also
This can be seen by the slow
shows showers love and wants
pace of the poem to show the
to help those who are
how every moment seems to
emotionally scarred to heal.
drag forever due to the fact she This can be seen in “Answer
is not with him.
my call and I'll set you free”
and the use of repetition of “I
As said in the above,due to the am the voice”. It seems as
fact that the persona seems
though this song can be used to
omnipotent,she may be mother help the persona of the poem as
nature or God. As religion is a he is unable to move on.
form of support for many
people, and a source of refuge,
the song may be directed to the
audience to encourage them to
seek refuge in her to recover
from their emotional scars.
REFLECTION ON LEARNING
What do you think you have learned from this e-learning activity? (write a short
paragraph)
The difference language can make as both the song and the poem,both similar in title can
differ so much just by the content and language used.