We real cool poem summary. We Real Cool by Gwendolyn Brooks 2023-01-06
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"We Real Cool" is a poem written by Gwendolyn Brooks in 1959. It is a short, powerful poem that tells the story of a group of young, rebellious African American men who are trying to assert their independence and coolness.
The poem is written in free verse, and it consists of eight lines that are broken into two quatrains. The first quatrain introduces the group of young men and describes their behavior: "We / Real cool. / We / Left school." This line suggests that the young men are not interested in education and that they have dropped out of school.
The second quatrain elaborates on the behavior of the young men, describing how they spend their days: "We / Lurk late. / We / Strike straight. / We / Sing sin. / We / Thin gin." These lines suggest that the young men are engaging in risky and dangerous behaviors, such as staying out late, fighting, and drinking.
Throughout the poem, Brooks uses repetition and alliteration to emphasize the rebellious nature of the young men. The repetition of the phrase "we real cool" serves to reinforce the idea that the young men are trying to assert their coolness, while the alliteration of the "s" sound in the second quatrain adds to the poem's rhythmic and musical quality.
Despite the rebellious and cool demeanor of the young men in the poem, there is a sense of sadness and despair lurking beneath the surface. The final line of the poem, "We / Die soon," hints at the dangerous and destructive path that the young men are on, and the possibility that their lives may be cut short.
In "We Real Cool," Brooks captures the restless energy and defiance of youth, as well as the underlying sadness and uncertainty that can accompany it. The poem serves as a poignant reminder of the dangers of rebellion and the importance of making responsible choices in life.
Summary Of The Poem We Real Cool
Historically, the line has even been used as a reason for banning the poem in some schools because jazz music has a tenuous association with sex. Brooks is commenting on the activities of the seven players and how they are leading themselves to an early grave. Note that parenthetical citations within the guide refer to the lines of the poem from which the quotations are taken. If one reflects on the political, historical, and cultural contexts of the time period the poem was written, it is apparent that the speaker and their gang feel like outcasts from society. They stay out late, playing, fighting, drinking, and generally celebrating rebellion. Although the poem is short, it packs a powerful message about youth. These styles were characterized by fast rhythms, complex melodies, and intense improvisation around a central motif.
The last line of the poem takes the boasting about bad things to a new level. Her publications and awards were numerous, including her appointment as a Poetry Consultant at the Library of Congress in 1985. To ''sing'' about something is to endorse, celebrate or revel in it. The reader can imagine being one of the speakers bragging about leaving school, celebrating sin, and dying soon. Question Set How do these poets use language and structure to get across their theme? They are used to set the scene as if they are stage directions. She seems to think he's going nowhere fast. The seven members of the gang play pool during the day instead of attending school in the poem We Real Cool.
It is not until the last stanza that the author depicts a depressing and somber mood that catches the readers off guard. This suggests a particular type of coolness—an unwillingness to be touched by anything emotionally. The poem is written in the vernacular tradition. They are about incidents in my life, which has caused my family and myself to grow beyond our dreams. Lesson Summary ''We Real Cool'' develops the persona of a young, black urban tough in the late 1950s. For centuries, authors have been pondering the answer to the question why does someone have to die and could they escape death. Brooks has been calling attention to the speakers with this word throughout the poem.
Vernacular Poetry: Definition and Context Vernacular is the term used to describe a style of writing that attempts to capture the conversational speech patterns peculiar to people of a geographical region, social class or race perceived to be inferior to the powerful, mainstream, or dominant in a society. He is suffering pressure from school, his parents and their new partners, as well as from his peers to join in theirescapades and to top it all off, his dog has died. Brooks uses vernacular to highlight the social class of Black urban teenagers during the 1950s, those who are deemed socially inferior and as a nuisance on the streets. Gwendolyn Brooks centered her works predominately around the African American consciousness. At first glance, it appears this poem is a mere description Essays On Gwendolyn Brooks tasks that are similar to Brooks. These speakers even brag they are going to "die soon. Brooks substitutes the word ''thin'' for the word ''drink,'' but the letter combinations in those two words are so similar that the one word suggests the other.
The seven pool players immediately turn and address the listener. Shovels are associated with hard labor and, especially in a poem that ends on the idea of dying soon, with digging graves. The story of Zhen Huan was based on the real history in the Qing Dynasty, Yong Zheng Empire. The speakers are not worried about things such as achievement, meeting society's approval, or preparing for the future. The main purpose I conclude of this poem was how those that go out and party, caring more about what their friends are doing then their school work. Thin gin is cheap gin and drinking it is something that adults do.
Seven at the Golden Shovel. These types of people with this mindset is not going to fundamentally help in the long run. During the time in which the poem was written, many teens, especially young African-American men felt misunderstood and like the world was set up for them to fail. The phrase follows in the same pattern as those which proceeded it. These two lines are straight forward, just like the rest of the poem. Critics such as poet Tyehimba Jess have pointed out that seven can be considered a lucky number—in Jess's words, the "sacred number of.
One interpretation could take the line sexually. . The final line of the poem expresses the speakers' hollow boast that they are headed to an early death. Here, the words make sense: a youthful group of kids full of life and rebellion in the early summer month of June. There are arguably echoes of all seven sins—gluttony, greed, pride, wrath, envy, lust, and sloth—in the poem, and Brooks's choice to include the word sin itself in the poem points readers to this conclusion. Mortality is the state of being subject to death. The third stanza reads, ''Sing sin.
Rather, the thought continues into the next stanza. Gwendolyn Brooks centered her works predominately around the African American consciousness. Gold is a metal associated with wealth and beauty. The poem describes a group of teenagers hanging out outside of a pool hall. This poem is short with only eight lines and four stanzas, but it packs a punch when one considers the tone is one of defiance and a disregard for authority. When asked about this, Brooks said she intended nothing of the sort but also added, "Poetry is for personal use. Seven at the Golden Shovel.
Summary and Study Questions of We Real Cool by Gwendolyn Brooks » Smart English Notes
She meant jazz to be read as a verb indicating rejection or challenge. This gives the poem its characters and its setting. Using the ''wrong'' word is a diction choice, and leaving the verb out of the sentence is a syntax choice. Stanzas 2—3 The speakers continue bragging about behaviors that could arguably be considered bad. Despite the poem's brash tone, it ends on an ironic note. However, Brooks does not say "seven pool players" directly.
