Skip to main content

In the poem "We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks, what are three literary devices used? What is the theme?

The theme of the short poem by Gwendolyn Brooks is that high school dropouts often feel proud and sure of themselves at first because they are bolstered by their peers, but eventually they will suffer the negative consequences of their choices.In the poem, the jazz-like rhythm and the multiple lines that end in "we" portray the cocky swagger of the seven who "left school." These teens believe they are "cool" as they go about...

The theme of the short poem by Gwendolyn Brooks is that high school dropouts often feel proud and sure of themselves at first because they are bolstered by their peers, but eventually they will suffer the negative consequences of their choices. In the poem, the jazz-like rhythm and the multiple lines that end in "we" portray the cocky swagger of the seven who "left school." These teens believe they are "cool" as they go about their singing, drinking, dancing, and hanging out. The fact that there are seven of them and the repetition of "we" suggests that they gain their self-image from being part of this group. The last line stands in harsh contrast to the rest of the defiant words; they will pay for their poor choices eventually. The chances of their dying young are high.


Several poetic devices are used in the poem. Consonance is used in "real cool" with the repeated end /l/ sound emphasizing the overconfident attitude of the teens. Examples of alliteration are "lurk late," "strike straight," and "jazz June." The rhymes that occur not in end position but in the penultimate word of each line are an unusual technique. This is paired with another unusual rhyming technique: using identical rhymes at the end of each line except the last. The technique that gives the poem its unique feel is the ironic use of enjambment and caesura. Normally a line that ends without punctuation should be read smoothly to the next line without pausing. This is called enjambment. Caesura is a hard stop in the middle of a line of poetry, which occurs in every line of this poem except the last. However, because of the repeated "we," which is the last word of each line but the beginning of a new sentence, readers are tempted to pause after "we" before going to the next line. This is, in fact, what Brooks intended. (You can listen to her read her own poem at the link below.) Thus the poem defies the rules for reading poetry, just as the seven have defied the rules of society by dropping out of school. Finally, the poem ends with irony. The dire sentence imposed on the seven at the end stands in stark contrast to the lively arrogance they exhibit in the rest of the poem. Having the "we" deliver the prophecy of their own demise is ironic since they probably don't understand or believe those words--at least not yet. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

In Martel's Life of Pi, how does writing a diary help Pi Patel build on his leadership skills?

At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can... At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can do this by writing down events, problems and solutions, and reflections to look back on when confronted with repeated problems. It can ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why did Tybalt attack and kill Mercutio instead of Romeo, who he had originally been targeting?

Though Tybalt's quarrel is with Romeo, he begins the momentous duel in Act 3 by fighting with and killing Mercutio instead. Tybalt ultimately attacks Mercutio because the garrulous and hot-headed character insults Tybalt and goads him into a duel to protect Romeo's honor. From the beginning of the encounter in Act 3, Scene 1, it's clear that Mercutio is itching for a fight. For instance, when Tybalt signals that he wants to talk to Mercutio... Though Tybalt's quarrel is with Romeo, he begins the momentous duel in Act 3 by fighting with and killing Mercutio instead. Tybalt ultimately attacks Mercutio because the garrulous and hot-headed character insults Tybalt and goads him into a duel to protect Romeo's honor. From the beginning of the encounter in Act 3, Scene 1, it's clear that Mercutio is itching for a fight. For instance, when Tybalt signals that he wants to talk to Mercutio and Benvolio, Mercutio responds "And but one word with one of us?/ Couple it w...
Post a Comment
Read more