TPCASTT Poetry Analysis
Title & Author of the Poem:
Title Before you even think about reading the poetry or PO- post office (APO- army post office) I think it will be based on letters.
trying to analyze it, speculate on what you think the
poem might b e about based upon the title. Often time Are the numbers identification, serial number, zip code?
authors conceal meaning in the title and give clues in the
title. Jot down what you think this poem will be about…
Paraphrase Before you begin thinking about he poem is meant to show soldiers inability to rely on the support of their families and
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meaning or tying to analyze the poem, don't overlook the
share their experiences with society because of their ignorance. The young man first sends
literal meaning of the poem. One of the biggest problems
that students often make in poetry analysis is jumping to letters with meaningless words trying to distract his family from the violence he faces. The
conclusions before understanding what is taking place in mother then constantly insists he tell them the truth in order to try to support him through
the poem. When you paraphrase a poem, write in your this hard time and to try to understand what he’s going through. When the soldier
own words exactly what happens in the poem. Look at confesses the war crimes he has committed the response from his family ignores this in
the number of sentences in the poem—your paraphrase
their effort to block out the truth. This leaves the soldier to revert back to his superficial
should have exactly the same number. This technique is
especially helpful for poems written in the 17th and 19th words which once again leave him separated from his family. He can no longer
centuries. Sometimes your teacher may allow you to communicate what he is going through, leaving him isolated in a terrifying war.
summarize what happens in the poem. Make sure that
you understand the difference between a paraphrase and
a summary.
Craft This refers to any and all poetic devices, Repetition: the repetition of the sentence “Dear Mom, sure rains a lot here” shows how the
focusing on how such devices contribute to the
meaning, the effect, or both of a poem. You may
young man reverts back to disguising his experiences from his family. There are also other
consider imagery, figures of speech (simile, metaphor, parts such as the simple responses and replies that show shallow conversation which
personification, symbolism, etc), denotation and contrast with the shift in the story.
connotation, point of view, and sound devices
Situational Irony: When the father responds saying his son’s confession has upset the
(alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhythm, and rhyme). It is
not necessary that you identify all the poetic devices mother it creates irony after her constant groveling for the truth that shows how civilians
within the poem. The ones you do identify should be refuse to understand what soldiers go through, further disconnecting them from home
seen as a way of supporting the conclusions you are
Diction: the author uses superficial diction to show how despite the mother's wishes, the
going to draw about the poem.
soldier refuses to actually admit the atrocities he experiences because he knows she will
never understand.
“Dear Mom, sure rains a lot here.”
“Son, we want you to tell us everything. Everything!”
“Please don’t write such depressing letters. You’re
upsetting your mother.”
Attitude Having examined the poem's devices and he author shows an annoyance for civilians like the mother who insisted on knowing
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clues closely, you are now ready to explore the multiple
attitudes that may be present in the poem. Examination
what her son was going through and then turned her back on him when she knew the truth.
of diction, images, and details suggests the speaker's The irony that is shown explains the soldiers perspective in the war and the total
attitude and contributes to understanding. You may refer disconnect between them and society. He also shows how once the soldier opens up, his
to the list of words on Tone t hat will help you. family rejects the hardships he has to go through and blames him for their exposure to the
Remember that usually the tone or attitude cannot be atrocities of war.
named with a single word Think complexity.
“Please don’t write such depressing letters. You’re
upsetting your mother.”
“So, after a while, the young man wrote, Dear Mom, sure
rains here a lot.”
Shift Rarely does a poem begin and end the poetic he shift in the poem begins on line 19 where the soldiers family turns from their need to
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experience in the same place. As is true of most of us,
the poet's understanding of an experience is a gradual
understand to ignoring his experiences altogether. Instead of beginning for him to stop
realization, and the poem is a reflection of that lying, they now want him to continue his superficial responses that reflect nothing about
understanding or insight. Watch for the following keys the war. This further closes his connection to home and isolates him while he is in the
to shifts: midst of a terrifying and foreign jungle.
• key words, (but, yet, however, although)
• punctuation (dashes, periods, colons, ellipsis)
• stanza divisions
• changes in line or stanza length or both
• irony
• changes in sound that may indicate changes in meaning
• changes in diction
Title Revisited Now look at the title again, but this
The title stands for the Army Post Office where the soldier sends his letters through. The
time on an interpretive level. What new insight does the
title provide in understanding the poem.
numbers signify the place where he was stationed which shows that he feels more
connected to Vietnam than his home back in the US.
Theme What is the poem saying about the human he poem shows society's ignorance of the atrocities of war and how it affects soldiers
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experience, motivation, or condition? What subject or
subjects does the poem address? What do you learn
and their ability to connect to their family leaving them further isolated.
about those subjects? What idea does the poet want you
to take away concerning these subjects? Remember that
the theme of any work of literature is stated in a
complete sentence and expresses a clear lesson for the
reader.
Thesis Statement: By combining theme and craft, In Larry Rottmann’s ironic poem, APO 96225, he shows both superficial diction and
please construct a formal thesis statement repetition to illustrate society ignorance in understanding the atrocities of war causing the
disconnection between soldiers and their homes which further isolates in their terror.
How to write a THESIS STATEMENT for POETRY: Provided by Mrs. Blevins :)
EXAMPLE of a THESIS STATEMENT you will be required to master next year:
In William Shakespeare’s provocative, heartbreaking tragedy, Othello, he utilizes/uses/illustrates/demonstrates/shows/depicts both
common animal imagery and clipped, lewd language to illustrate that even the most noble and valiant of individuals can devolve and
mutate into beastial human beings and inelegant, base speakers.
Green illustrates my voice/opinion words;
Blue shows my two salient features;
Yellow indicates my theme statement.
