AP English Literature AMSCO Guided Notes
2.2: Structure, Contrasts, and Shifts
AP English Literature Guided Notes
AMSCO 2.2 - Structure, Contrasts, and Shifts
Essential Questions
- How do structure and contrast contribute to the development of ideas in a poem?
I. Structure
1. What is structure in a poem and how does it affect readers' reactions to the text?
2. How do poets use lines and stanzas differently than writers of novels and short stories use sentences and paragraphs?
A. Line and Stanza Breaks
1. What is a stanza and what role does it play in guiding readers through a poem?
2. How do line breaks in 'The Children's Moon' differ from those in 'On the Subway' and what effect does each style create?
3. How do stanza breaks contribute to the development and relationship of ideas in a poem?
4. In 'The Children's Moon,' how does the structure of each stanza reflect the development of the speaker's experience from home to classroom?
II. Contrasts and Shifts
1. What is contrast in poetry and why do poets use it to convey meaning?
A. Contrasts
1. What are the different ways poets can introduce contrast in a poem?
2. How does Margaret Atwood use imagery and stanza breaks to create contrast in '[you fit into me]'?
3. How does a change in tone, point of view, or setting create contrast in a poem?
B. Shifts and Juxtaposition
1. What is a shift in a poem and what words, structural conventions, or punctuation can signal a shift?
2. What is juxtaposition and how does it create contrast in a poem?
3. In '[you fit into me],' how does the juxtaposition of the two stanzas and the shift in imagery reveal the speaker's changing perspective on her relationship?
Key Terms
structure
contrast
shift
stanza
imagery
juxtaposition