Annotations to Outline
Student Name: _________________________________Date: ________ Period: __9th__
Prompt: How does Eavan Boland utilizes literary devices to convey theme in her poem “The Pomegranate”?
Little Question
Question
What are the literary devices in “The
Pomegranate”?
Answer
Imagery/Selection of Detail, Allusion,
Symbolism, Metaphor
Big Question
What is the theme in “The Pomegranate”?
Growing up is a cycle and is inevitable,
universal, and while parents may not want it to
happen, they must recognize that this cycle is
“a gift”.
Thesis:
In the poem, “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland, the author uses allusion,
symbolism, and imagery to show that growing up is a cycle and is inevitable and
universal; furthermore, while parents may not want this to happen, they must
recognize this cycle as “a gift”.
*as an extra special bonus, throw in a tone word to show off your smarts
Organizing Chronologically:

Evidence is organized ______based on when it appears in the text.

The advantages to this method are that you can discuss more than one device at a
time and track shifts in tone and theme throughout a work.

This method of organization requires that you identify _____SHIFT (change) volta
(Fancy term)____ in tone, subject, or time within the text. Words such as “yet” or
“but” may signify shifts.

Shifts help you break the poem into _____chunk/parts=paragraphs_____. *GO
FIND SHIFTS
Topic Sentences or Assertions = mini theses!

these keep your essay ___organized___

the first sentence of each _____body paragraph______

should indicate the part of your thesis _____that you are proving in this
paragraph_

they should indicate the ____part/chunk____ of the poem or text will be discussed

with the exception of the first topic sentence, topic sentences should contain
____transitions_______
Transitions:
In addition
Furthermore
Moreover
Additionally
Again
Similarly
Likewise
Also
Both
In the same manner
At the same time
In contrast
On the other hand
However
Conversely
At the same time
Although
And yet
Nevertheless
Whereas
Thesis:
In the poem, “The Pomegranate” by Eavan Boland, the author uses allusion,
symbolism, and imagery to show that growing up is a cycle and is inevitable and
universal; furthermore, while parents may not want this to happen, they must
recognize this cycle as “a gift”.
-chunk 1-mom is child—story is universal--identifies with Persephone
-chunk 2-mom dreads child leaving—show conflicted, shows story is inevitable
-chunk 3-mom resigns herself to child leaving—conflicted/inevitable
Assertion 1:
At the beginning of the poem, the author’s use of imagery and allusion implies that there is a comparison between
the narrator’s life and the Greek myth of Demeter, thus revealing that growing up is a universal occurrence.
All about chunk one of
poem before first major
shift.
Evidence:
Allusion:
“And the best thing about the legend is/I can enter it anywhere” (6-7) proves universal story…
Evidence:
Imagery:
“As a child in exile/city of fog and strange consonants” (8-9) proves narrator is growing up—thus
Experience of growing up is universal.
Assertion 2:
Later in the poem, both the symbolism and the allusion to the myth suggests that the narrator now dreads her own
daughter’s inevitable detachment.
Evidence:
“Winter was in store for every leaf/on every tree on that road./ Was inescapable for each one we passed” (20-22)
Symbolism and allusion—winter—allusion to myth and symbol of separation, inescapable meaning inevitable.
Evidence:
“The pomegranate! How did I forget it” (29) pomegranate is allusion to myth and symbol of daughter separating from
mother… question shows wish—but inability to forget that her daughter’s growth into adulthood will happen
Assertion 3:
Evidence:
Evidence:
Complete this section by yourself. You should focus on the third chunk
of the poem (see above) and make sure that your topic sentence has: a
transition word/phrase, an answer to the little question that is specific
to this part of the poem and an answer to the big question that is
specific to this part of the poem.