Analysis of ‘Poem at Thirty-Nine’ by Alice Walker

Summary

The video script is a deep analysis of Alice Walker's poem 'at 39,' which reflects on the author's memories and relationship with her father. The poem is characterized by a nostalgic tone, a first-person narrative, and a free verse structure that mirrors the sporadic chain of thought. The analysis highlights the themes of loss, regret, and familial love, with a mournful tone that gradually shifts to a more celebratory one, as the speaker acknowledges her father's influence on her life and her growth into a woman he would be proud of. The poem's use of personal pronouns and simple language creates an intimate connection with the reader, while the imagery of finance suggests the hardship her father faced. The speaker's respect for her father's wisdom is evident in her adoption of his values, particularly in handling money and truth-telling. The poem also explores the idea of escaping a difficult life and the speaker's success in doing so, as well as the potential metaphorical meaning behind cooking and feeding others, possibly alluding to her activism. The analysis concludes by noting the poem's relevance to themes of childhood, loss, regret, nostalgia, memories, and familial love, making it a fitting choice for examination in an English literature context.

Takeaways

• 📜 The poem 'at 39' by Alice Walker is a personal reflection on her life and her relationship with her father, written when she was 39 years old.
• 🎭 The poem establishes a nostalgic and mournful tone, indicating a sense of loss and regret, as the speaker misses her deceased father.
• 👤 The use of first-person narrative creates an intimate connection between the reader and the speaker, sharing Alice Walker's personal experiences.
• 💭 The poem's structure, with its broken lines and lack of a set rhyme scheme, mirrors the speaker's struggle to express her emotions and memories.
• 💰 The poem introduces a semantic field of finance, suggesting that money was a burden and a symbol of hardship in the speaker's life and her father's life.
• 👨 The father is portrayed as a caring figure who taught the speaker about the importance of money management, hoping for a better life for his daughter.
• 🌟 The father's influence is seen in the speaker's life, as she respects his advice and follows his teachings, even opening a savings account in high school.
• 🔥 The poem uses the metaphor of cooking to describe the father's passion and energy, as well as his generosity in sharing good food, which the speaker has inherited.
• 🌱 The speaker's life is depicted as varied and exciting, a contrast to her father's more mundane existence, indicating she has escaped the life he knew.
• 🔁 The poem includes repetition of the phrase 'how I miss my father,' emphasizing the depth of the speaker's longing and the significance of her father's influence.
• 📚 The speaker's achievements and the activities she engages in, such as cooking, writing, and chopping wood, are seen as a continuation of her father's legacy and values.
• 🔮 The final stanza suggests a sense of regret that the father did not live to see the full woman the speaker became, but also a belief that he would be proud of her independence and accomplishments.

Q & A

What is the significance of the poem's title 'At 39' by Alice Walker?

The title 'At 39' signifies that Alice Walker wrote the poem when she was 39 years old, which sets the context for the poem as a reflection on her life and memories at that age.

How does the poem establish a mournful or regretful tone in the first stanza?

The poem establishes a mournful or regretful tone through phrases like 'how I miss my father' and 'I wish he had not been so tired when I was born,' indicating a sense of loss and longing.

What is the significance of the first-person narrative in creating an intimate poem?

The first-person narrative creates an intimate poem by allowing Alice Walker to share her personal experiences and emotions directly with the reader, making the poem more relatable and emotionally engaging.

How does the use of broken lines in the poem reflect Alice Walker's struggle to express herself?

The broken lines can be seen as a reflection of Alice Walker's struggle to express her emotions and memories, suggesting that her thoughts and feelings are complex and difficult to articulate.

What is the semantic field of finance or monetary imagery in the poem, and what does it suggest about the narrator's life?

The semantic field of finance or monetary imagery includes words like 'deposit slips,' 'checks,' and 'savings accounts.' It suggests that money was a burden for the narrator and her father, indicating a life of hardship and financial struggle.

How does the father's teaching about money and its importance reflect his caring nature?

The father's teaching about money and its importance shows his caring nature as he wants his daughter to learn how to handle money wisely, so she can escape the difficult life he knew.

What does the phrase 'telling the truth did not always mean a beating' reveal about the father's values and their relationship?

The phrase reveals that the father valued truth, even though it sometimes led to conflict and discipline. It suggests an honest and open relationship between the father and daughter, despite the challenges they faced.

What is the significance of the euphemism 'before the end' in the poem?

The euphemism 'before the end' is used to refer to the time before the father's death. It suggests that it is difficult for Alice Walker to accept or say aloud that her father is gone, indicating the depth of her grief and loss.

How does the poem's tone shift from regretful to celebratory?

The tone shifts from regretful to celebratory as Alice Walker reflects on her father's positive influence on her life, her own achievements, and the qualities they shared. This shift reflects a transition from mourning to honoring and celebrating her father's memory and their bond.

What is the symbolism of the father cooking 'like a person dancing in a yoga meditation'?

The symbolism of the father cooking 'like a person dancing in a yoga meditation' suggests a combination of energy, passion, and focus. It paints a picture of the father's cooking as an art form, and implies that he took great care and joy in preparing food for his family.

How does Alice Walker's life and the way she lives it reflect her father's influence and values?

Alice Walker's life, including her cooking, writing, chopping wood, and staring into the fire, reflects her father's influence and values. She has embraced the importance of truth, financial wisdom, and generosity, and has carried these values into her own life and work.

What is the structure of the poem, and how does it reflect the poem's themes and content?

The poem is written in free verse with no rhyme scheme and has unequal stanzas. This structure reflects the poem's themes of memories and a chain of thought, as the poem moves from one memory to another in a sporadic and unstructured manner, mirroring the process of reminiscing.