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Shel Silverstein. By: Dankwa Amoah-Mensah Md Abidur Mollah Ismum Chowdhury Nelson Alvarez Aarron Salas. Biography. Shel Silverstein was born on September 25, 1930, in Chicago. He was drafted into the army and was enlisted to Japan and Korea in 1950.
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Shel Silverstein By: DankwaAmoah-MensahMdAbidurMollah IsmumChowdhury Nelson Alvarez Aarron Salas
Biography • Shel Silverstein was born on September 25, 1930, in Chicago. • He was drafted into the army and was enlisted to Japan and Korea in 1950. • During his tenure with the army, he became a cartoonist. His works of cartoons were then placed in Sports Illustrated and Playboy magazines. • He was both a composer, musician and a poet post his military and cartoonist careers. • In 1963, ShelSilverstein began to write children’s literature, beginning with the piece Uncle Shelby's Story of Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back. • Soon afterwards, he wrote one of his most famous pieces of literature, The Giving Tree. • Shel Silverstein did not like to disclose any of his personal information to publishing companies • Shel Silverstein passed away on May 10, 1999, from a heart attack in Key West, Florida.
Historical/Social Background • Shel Silverstein was born into a Jewish family living in America during 1930 • During his childhood, he hung out in the streets of Illinois, and this had influenced his primal viewpoint of life • He was convinced to write for children in 1963 by Ursula Nordstrom.
Analysis of: Messy Room • “This poem is symbolizing the messy room as one's life. This tells you that sometimes we judge people without realizing that we have done identical if not worse things. I personally believe that Shel Silverstein was trying to convey a message through humor and gives a hint of hypocrisy in his poem "Messy Room"...”
Where the Sidewalk ends There is a place where the sidewalk ends And before the street begins, And there the grass grows soft and white, And there the sun burns crimson bright, And there the moon-bird rests from his flight To cool in the peppermint wind. Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black And the dark street winds and bends. Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And watch where the chalk-white arrows go To the place where the sidewalk ends. Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go, For the children, they mark, and the children, they know The place where the sidewalk ends.
Analysis of: Where the Sidewalk ends The place where the sidewalk ends is the point in life at which a person moves from childhood into the life of an adult. Sidewalks are a symbol of a safe place for kids to play and be careless, whereas the street is a place for adults to go from one place to the other. A street symbolizes work and responsibility, especially when linked with cars, buses, commuting, etc. Here the soft grass, crimson sun, and the peppermint wind are indulgences of childhood, appealing to senses dulled in adulthood as we grow too busy and arrogant to revel in the simple pleasures.
Explanation and comparison of Messy room and Where the Sidewalk ends • Both of the poem’s themes can be related to the transition from adolescence to adulthood • Also, they can be related to the messy college life • The poem Where the Sidewalk ends is a broad poem, whereas Messy Room is a particular part of a broader idea regarding life lessons, and social interaction.
Significance • These poems may have described Shel Silver steins life experiences partially during or after his tenure with the military. • This poem was written to probably show to us that there are many important factors to life that we do not usually notice, or if we do, we do not take care of them.
Original Poem inspired by the work of Shel Silverstein There's a magical place waiting for us At the end of August, Before which all the kids go to hangout and play Free of worries and fumes. We’ve struggled hard to get this far, To release our summer bloom. With ups and downs and turn arounds, We look back to a year well spent With hopes and dreams and expectations, We look forward to a good year ahead. We’ve come to the magical place, That has been waiting so long ahead. And now that it’s finally here, All the stress has begun, The hopes and dreams die out, As the clouds go block the sun. With degrading dreams and clouding of the sun, We came to understanding that this magical place, Isn't really a magical one.
Works Cited • Guest. "Messy Room by Shel Silverstein • 224 Poems by Shel SilversteinEdit." Messy Room by Shel Silverstein Classic Famous Poet. N.p., 2013. Web. • Schingle, Paul. "Poetry Analysis: Messy Room, by Shel Silverstein." Helium. Helium, 04 Apr. 2011. Web. • "Shel Silverstein Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. • "Shel Silverstein – Where the Sidewalk Ends." Rap Genius. N.p., 2013. Web.
