Raindrops on a Briar

1. Raindrops on a Briar By: Megan Gulland, Eryn Jackson and Jessica Calk

2. Thesis • William Carlos Williams uses imagery and movement to compare the skills of a writer and the skills of a painter. Briar: A Mediterranean shrub or small tree with hard, woody roots and thorns. Hipped: interested or obsessed. Static: lacking in movement, action or change.

3. Overall Interpretation • A man who is a writer and was once intrigued in painting • “I, a writer, at one time hipped on painting” • He sees regular objects in a more artistic way than most, which helps him to see the movement in the paintings. • He talks about 3 different art styles: • Writing • Painting • “irregularly as an accompaniment” – refers to music

4. Language

5. Literary Devices • Imagery: • “- The flowers, the gloves-” (Stanza 2, line 2) • “A series of varying leaves clinging”(Stanza 4, Lines 3-4) • “The cat-briar after last night’s storm, its waterdrops ranged upon the arching stems irregularly”( Stanza 5, Lines 1-4)

6. Purpose/Effect • He talks about paintings in order to help the reader imagine what he imagines • He wants the reader to be able to see what he sees

7. Literary devices: Metaphor/Simile • “A pregnant motion” ( Stanza 4, line 2) • Meaning an important motion • “but the thinking male or the charged and delivering female frantic with ecstasies” • Williams feels like the paintings come to life. • “the arching stems irregularly as an accompaniment” • A simile is a comparison of one thing and another of a different kind

8. Purpose/effect • Williams uses metaphors and similes to show the reader that he believes, that since he is a writer and is intrigued with painting, that he has a more creative mind.

9. Sound

10. Literary devices: Repetition Green: The repeating sound of “ing” x7 Red: The repeating sound of “ly” or “ty” x4 Purple: Alliteration - 2 phrases Raindrops on a Briar I, a writer, at one time hipped on painting, did not consider the effects, painting, for that reason, static, on the contrary the stillness of the objects- the flowers, the gloves- freed them precisely by that from a necessity merely to move in space as if they had been- not children! but the thinking male or the charged and deliver- ingfemale frantic with ecstasies; served rather to present, for me, a more pregnant motion: a series of varyingleaves clinging still, let us say, to the cat-briar after last night’s storm, its waterdrops ranged upon the archingstems irregularlyas an accompaniment.

11. Purpose/Effect • All of the “ing” words are verbs. • It seems William Carlos Williams is telling us the things he was doing and how he feels about it. It kind of gives us the sense that he was writing, like someone would in a diary. Like, he was telling a story, not really a poem.

12. Structure

13. structure • 5 stanzas • 4 lines in each stanza • There are many dashes and commas • “The contrary the stillness of the objects—the flowers, the gloves— freed them precisely… etc.” • There is one period and it is at the end • There is one exclamation mark in stanza 3, line 2

14. Purpose/effect • Williams uses this format in the poem to help emphasize the important parts of the poem.

15. Style

16. Literary Devices • Speaker: A man who writes and enjoys painting • Point of View: First Person • Tone: Informative • “I, a writer, at one time hipped on painting” • Rhythm: • The poem is very choppy, which kind of makes the poem harder to understand or follow. • Mood: Relaxed • He doesn’t really show much emotion • Enjambment: • The entire poem is a run on line, where more information carries over from one line to the next.

17. Purpose/Effect • Williams does this to inform the reader of how creative he is and how creative they can be by looking into different forms of art. • He makes the poem choppy and difficult to read because both painting and writing can be difficult to understand.

18. Juxtaposition • Juxtaposition: Movement-Still • It’s showing the reader how the narrator has a more creative mind, because he can see how the paintings move. Mini Activity: Get with partner and try to draw two pictures that juxtapose one another. (2-3 minutes)

19. Purpose/effect • He adds in juxtaposition to help compare • His creativity with others • Painting and writing • Movement and Static

20. Similar Poems • Structure: • The Bitter World of Spring • Nature: • Spring and All • The Widow’s Lament in Springtime • The theme of nature is reoccurring

21. Activity (4-5 minutes) • Write a 2-3 line poem with a partner, and then try to “draw the poem.” • Then discuss, did it turn out the way you expected?

22. Conclusion • Overall William Carlos Williams uses imagery and movement to show how he is more creative because he is a writer, and can see movement within the paintings. Williams feels that the paintings come to life and he understands the painter through their artwork.