A BOAT BENEATH A SUNNY SKY
BY: LEWIS CARROLL
POWERPOINT BY: NATHANIEL UMSTED
NOVEMBER 6, 2015
A BOAT BENEATH A SUNNY SKY (COMPLETE POEM)
LONG HAS PALED THAT SUNNY SKY:
A BOAT BENEATH A SUNNY SKY,
LINGERING ONWARD DREAMILY
IN AN EVENING OF JULY —
ECHOES FADE AND MEMORIES DIE:
AUTUMN FROSTS HAVE SLAIN JULY.
IN A WONDERLAND THEY LIE,
DREAMING AS THE DAYS GO BY,
STILL SHE HAUNTS ME, PHANTOMWISE,
DREAMING AS THE SUMMERS DIE:
ALICE MOVING UNDER SKIES
CHILDREN THREE THAT NESTLE NEAR,
NEVER SEEN BY WAKING EYES.
EAGER EYE AND WILLING EAR,
PLEASED A SIMPLE TALE TO HEAR —
EVER DRIFTING DOWN THE STREAM —
LINGERING IN THE GOLDEN GLEAM —
CHILDREN YET, THE TALE TO HEAR,
EAGER EYE AND WILLING EAR,
LOVINGLY SHALL NESTLE NEAR.
LIFE, WHAT IS IT BUT A DREAM?
BIOGRAPHICAL CONNECTION TO
THE POEM
Lewis Carroll was born under the name Charles Lutwidge Dodgson on January 27th,
1832. Most of his work was dedicated to girls of his acquaintance (daughters of his
friends and associates). His most dedicated inspiration was Alice Liddell, daughter of
Henry & Lorena Liddell; Dodgson's close friends. His relationship with the Liddell
family was an important part of his life during the 1850s and is the reason for many
of his works. The poem was made during a rough time in his life and Alice and her
family were his only friends. His poem references his wonderland stories and
expresses his appreciation for Alice.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/lewis_carroll#alice_books)
STRUCTURE
THE POEM HAS 7 STANZAS AND WITH EACH ONE CONTAINING 3 LINES, THERE ARE 21 LINES
OVERALL IN THE POEM.
THERE ARE 8 SYLLABLES IN EACH LINE, FORMING A RHYTHMIC BEAT.
EACH STANZA HAS ONE GROUP OF END RHYME AND THE FIRST STANZA HAS AN APPROXIMATE
RHYME.
THE POEM IS CENTERED AND THE 3RD LINE OF EACH STANZA IS SMALLER IN LENGTH THAN THE 1ST
AND 2ND, IN ORDER TO KEEP THE POEM’S CONTENT ORGANIZED.
THE POEM IS A LYRIC ABOUT A SIMPLER TIME FOR THE SPEAKER
IMAGERY PT. I
CARROLL USES MANY DETAILS IN AN ATTEMPT
TO MAKE THE READER VISUALIZE THE
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE POEM, SUCH AS:
• A BOAT BENEATH A SUNNY SKY – ALLOWS
US TO ENVISION A ROWBOAT UNDERNEATH
THE SUN ON A QUIET LAKE AND INDUCES A
CALMING FEELING IN THE READER.
IMAGERY PT. II
• CARROLL USES MANY DETAILS IN AN ATTEMPT
TO MAKE THE READER VISUALIZE THE
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE POEM, SUCH AS:
• STILL SHE HAUNTS ME, PHANTOMWISE –
CAUSES READER TO VISUALIZE A SPIRIT
FOLLOWING THE SPEAKER AND INTERESTS THE
READER.
IMAGERY PT. III
• CARROLL USES MANY DETAILS IN AN ATTEMPT
TO MAKE THE READER VISUALIZE THE DIFFERENT
PARTS OF THE POEM, SUCH AS:
• EVER DRIFTING DOWN THE STREAM – VISUAL
IMAGE OF A PERSON OR AN OBJECT DRIFTING
DOWN A RIVER.
IMAGERY PT. IV
• CARROLL USES MANY DETAILS IN AN ATTEMPT
TO MAKE THE READER VISUALIZE THE
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE POEM, SUCH AS:
• CHILDREN THREE THAT NESTLE NEAR – ALLOWS
READER TO ENVISION THREE KIDS (OR
CRITTERS) HUDDLED TOGETHER QUIETLY AND
NOT ONLY MAKES THE READER FEEL CALM
FROM SIGHT, BUT ALSO GIVES A SENSORY
DETAIL OF TOUCH; BEING ONE OF THE 3 KIDS
HUDDLED TOGETHER
The above picture is the closest noncopyrighted and undisturbing picture I
could find to portray this line.
IMAGERY PT. V
• CARROLL USES MANY DETAILS IN AN
ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE READER VISUALIZE
THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE POEM, SUCH
AS:
• LINGERING IN THE GOLDEN GLEAM –
ALLOWS READER TO ENVISION A BRILLIANT
GOLDEN RAY OF LIGHT SHINING ON THE
EARTH
THE SPEAKER
THE SPEAKER COULD VERY WELL BE LEWIS CARROLL, BUT IT COULD ALSO BE SOMEONE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. NEVERTHELESS, THE SPEAKER IS TELLING THE READERS
ABOUT A LOST LOVE FROM HIS PAST THAT HAUNTS HIS THOUGHTS CONSTANTLY.
PROOF OF THIS COMES FROM STANZA 4:
STILL SHE HAUNTS ME, PHANTOMWISE,
ALICE MOVING UNDER SKIES
NEVER SEEN BY WAKING EYES.
(UNDERLINED PHRASES ARE PROOF OF TEXT ABOVE EXCERPT)
•
IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR THE SPEAKER TO BE THE POET, DUE TO REFERENCE OF A GIRL NAMED ALICE
•
•
CONNECTION: CARROLL’S INSPIRATION FOR MOST OF HIS STORIES AND POEMS WAS ALICE LIDDELL, THE DAUGHTER OF SOME OF THE POET’S
CLOSEST FRIENDS.
SPEAKING IN THE PAST TENSE; SEEMINGLY WITH A SAD KIND OF NOSTALGIA
•
SPEAKER IS PROBABLY VERY OLD WHEN TELLING THE STORY
POETIC/LITERARY TERMS
1.
METAPHOR: LIFE, WHAT IS IT BUT A DREAM? COMPARES LIFE TO THE EXPERIENCE OF A
DREAM.
2.
REPETITION: EAGER EYE AND WILLING EAR… REPEATS THIS LINE IN STANZAS 2 & 4 AND
SETS UP A RHYTHMIC BEAT.
3.
PERSONIFICATION: …AS THE SUMMERS DIE:… GIVES A SEASON THE QUALITY OF BEING
ABLE TO DIE; AUTUMN FROSTS HAVE SLAIN JULY... GIVES AUTUMN A HUMAN-LIKE QUALITY
TO KILL THE MONTH OF JULY.
MEANING
LITERAL
FIGURATIVE
1. THERE WAS BOAT UNDERNEATH THE SUN ON A
LAKE.
A.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THINGS WERE SIMPLE
AND QUIET (LIKE A BOAT BENEATH A SUNNY SKY)
2. SPEAKER AND “ALICE” WERE (PROBABLY) 2 OF 3
CHILDREN ON THE BOAT LISTENING TO
SOMETHING
B.
COULD STAND FOR THE CURIOUS NATURE OF
HUMANITY
C.
3. “ALICE” IS ALWAYS HAUNTING THE SPEAKER
HIMSELF (LIKE A GHOST)
ALICE IS ALWAYS HAUNTING THE SPEAKER’S
THOUGHTS
D.
PEOPLE SLEEP WHILE SUMMER BECOMES AUTUMN
4. PEOPLE DREAM WHILE SUMMERS DIE
E.
STANDING IN THE BRIGHT SUNSHINE
5. LINGERING IN THE GOLDEN GLEAM
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE
The author’s purpose for the poem, or the theme; is to attempt
to convey to people to enjoy their simple times with all your
friends still around and with everything being beautiful,
because it will go away one day, and you will regret not
having spent those times better than you had spent them.
END OF SLIDESHOW
(HOPE YOU WEREN’T BORED TO DEATH BY IT!)
ORGANIZED BY NATHANIEL UMSTED
AUTHORIZED BY MMHS PRE-AP ENGLISH 9 TEACHER: MR. ABBOTT
DATE FINISHED: 12/11/2015