"Marks" by Linda Pastan

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Linda Pastan, American poet and writer, is well-known for poetry in which she tackles various issues controversial in American society and expresses her opinions about the issue in a clever, yet powerful and effective, way. The author points out that, in this poem, Pastan seeks to capture her audience's attention to the issue of women's suppression and discrimination in modern American society. The paper discusses prevalent themes in the poem and illustrates the use of poetic techniques, such as symbolism, atmosphere, setting, and point of view.

From the Paper:

"The setting and atmosphere of the subjects of the poem establishes the conflict that is created and expressed at the end of the poem. Despite her defiant protest at the end of the poem, the Woman already evokes to her readers the complex life that she leads, being the one who has to all the household chores, and despite these efforts, she is still considered as an insignificant individual, if not for her role as mother and wife. The domesticity of the Woman establishes the fact that she is home-based and relegated to stereotyped roles of women in the society, which is to become both a mother and wife to her family. Furthermore, the atmosphere of conflict becomes apparent with the Woman's use of humor, sarcasm, and anger in the poem."

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