"The Laughing Heart"
by Charles Bukowski
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.
1) Dramatic Situation:
One male speaker referring to those who feel isolated and alienated from community/society. Maybe the author himself went through this phase and wants others who feel the same way to fix/solve their problems.
2) Structure:
There are three stanzas in this poem which all build on top of one another. The first stanza commands the readers to look for a "light" that they can turn to. The second stanza lets the readers know that there will be many opportunities given to them and tells the readers to accept them. The last stanza reminds the readers about individuality and hints an expectation in the future.
3) Theme:
Individualism: the main theme of the poem has to be about finding oneself ("your life is your life") and seeking for something they are confident in ("there is a light somewhere").
4) Grammar and Meaning:
The author's grammar is used in a modern way since all the words are current use of language. The poem has a deep meaning for those who feel hopeless and helpless from the world they live in.
5) Images and Figures of Speech:
By saying "light", Bukowski allows the readers to imagine an exit from a dark cave which represents isolationism("darkness").
6) Important Words:
Some important words are life, light, darkness, and death. These words are used throughout the poem and each represents a symbol.
7) Tone:
The tone of this piece is a sense of hope. The author lets the readers know that despite the isolation/alienation, there is a "light" out there that they can turn to for comfort.
8) Literary Devices:
Imagery: "clubbed into dank submission."
Parallelism: "Your life is your life"...
"your life is your life."
"be on the watch."
"be on the watch."
Rhyme: "know them"
"take them"
Symbols: dank submission - isolation
light - hope
darkness - loneliness
9) Prosody:The way Bukowski structured this poem is very clear and easy to understand since I said as previously, the three stanzas build on top of one another. Readers can define what the poem has to say and finish the poem knowing exactly what to do to come out of the "darkness".
Thank you so much this reeally helped
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