Peer response | English homework help

Write a response to the peer’s post based on the readings. 

Original Prompt: 

Compare Carroll’s strategies for creating sound in Jabberwocky with those used by Swenson in A Nosty Fright.  Pay attention to connotative and denotative meanings of the words and how the poet plays with sound.  

Edilzon Ramirez 

Response to Prompt:

In both poems there is a common element. And that is a wordplay to make nonsense poetry. The effect of this, is that we must think more in depth to figure out the real meaning behind the works of literature. In Jabberwocky, the writer begins by setting up the mood giving us the background of the events that are about to occur. The use of exclamation marks throughout the poem afterwards, are what in my opinion, give it the sound. For example, “O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!” suggests sort of a proud/relived cry. Which is furthered backed up by the whimsical words that have a positive connation to them due to the slaying of the jabberwocky, who terrorized the people.

While in “A Nosty Fright” another poem with nonsense words or portmanteau the mood is sad, and it only becomes gloomier. Like Miss Brill, the poet describes things together, in the first stanza “roldengod and the soneyhuckle” and jumps to a lonely chipmunk, suggesting that it has lost its companion. There is hope for it when it meets the grasshopper. Ultimately, it comes to an end “Here we part,” said the hassgropper. “Pere we hart,” mipchunk, too”. All hope is lost for the chipmunk and is waiting for the winter to come. This symbolizes death because during the months of October, November, and December many mammals including the chipmunks hibernate and its almost like it wanted to go to sleep permanently remarking things like “Will it ever be morning, Nofember virst”.

Some say, that the chipmunk is a representation of the author and her sexuality. She like the chipmunk, was alone and the typhoon that was mentioned earlier, was her losing her mind. The words and the sounds they make, further makes this evident because it is gibberish written by someone who is broken.

(Your response to your peer should add or extend the point given by your peer.)