The Poetic Style Device in "Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress-Toward" by Gwendolyn Brooks
What poetic style device is represented in the highlighted portion of "Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress-Toward" by Gwendolyn Brooks?
Say to them, say to the down-keepers, the sun-slappers, the self-soilers, the harmony-hushers, "even if you are not ready for day it cannot always be night."
A. Metonymy
B. Apostrophe
C. Anaphora
D. End-stopped lines
Answer:
The poetic style device represented in the highlighted portion of the poem is Apostrophe.
The poetic style device represented in the highlighted portion of the poem is Apostrophe. Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which the speaker addresses someone absent, dead, or non-human as if they were present and able to respond. In this poem, the speaker is addressing the down-keepers, sun-slappers, self-soilers, and harmony-hushers, telling them that even if they are not ready for day, it cannot always be night.
It is a powerful poetic device that adds depth and emotion to the speaker's words, creating a sense of direct address and intimacy with the characters being addressed.
By using Apostrophe in this poem, Gwendolyn Brooks is able to convey a sense of urgency and importance in her message to the audience, encouraging them to embrace change and not be afraid of the unknown.