Critical Essay Of Literature

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Critical Essay Of Literature

Windsong is a book of poetry written by Carl Sandburg. In this book, Sandburg
refers to some of life's experiences. Sandburg writes about the little
complications in life that nobody seems to be able to put a finger on.
Symbolism, and personification appear to be Sandburgs forte in his use of
literary devices. In his free verse style of writing, he expresses his ideas in
poems from some of the smallest wonders of nature to some of the largest
creations of nature.

In many poems Mr. Sandburg wrote, he used some form of personification. From
the first phrase in the poem, Timber Moon, the moon has a sense of sight.
"There is a way the moon looks into the timber at night", the sense of sight
sets up more human like traits, later in the poem, by adding how the moon
reflects and shines on different objects in the timber(87,1,1). Sandburg also
uses objects in nature, and everyday commodities to symbolize humans, or
possibly even God. In this same poem, he uses symbolism along with
personification. This same line could possibly symbolize an adult watching a
child, or God looking down on the earth, because the bigger one, or One, above
is always looking down on the smaller one below. Another trait the moon
acquires is the trait of understanding what an animal is saying in his language,
"There is a way the moon understands the hoot owl"(87,1,5). This line could
symbolize a mother knowing what her baby wants.

Another poem Sandburg wrote, gives human qualities to trees and dirt. In the
first two sentences, the trees and dirt have the traits of learning and being
shaped by their surroundings. "See the trees lean to the wind's way of
learning.", and "See the dirt of the hill shape to the water's way of learning."
both describe the personalities of scenery in the poem Landscape(102,1,2 & 3).
This can also symbolize a person bending out of his own way to change for
somebody ...