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  • Essay / is a poem by Alice Walker, a woman is not a potted plant

    Women and strengthThe poem I chose to write my essay on is a very powerful poem. This gives insight into what some people think about certain topics. The poem is, in a way, a voice for those who cannot share it alone. The poem “A Woman Is Not a Potted Plant” by Alice Walker is everything I just described and more. The poem uses many literary elements to please the readers. Alice Walker used literary devices such as transition, metaphors as well as repetition to express her thoughts on the strong women of this world and the rights they hold. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay “A woman is not a potted plant”. The title of the poem says a lot about the subject of the poem. From the title, the audience can immediately tell that the author, Alice Walker, is somewhat of a feminist. If one were to interpret the title, one would think that “A woman is not a potted plant” means that women are independent and strong and capable of anything. Throughout the poem, the audience can understand that the poem is a giant metaphor. I think this style of writing is not only intelligent, but also inspiring in the sense that it forces the reader to think deeply about the subject/topic. The lines “a woman/is a boundless desert” (28) are one of the strongest metaphors in the poem. Walker compares a woman to the wilderness to send the message that a woman cannot be tamed and is capable of much, hence the word "limitless." Alice Walker wanted to show repetition throughout the poem. She repeated the same thing throughout the poem, stating, “A woman is not a potted plant.” For me, this repetition has an effect that makes me want to appreciate women for what they do and who they are. It makes me realize how strong women are. There is a very important literary technique that Alice Walker uses in the poem that very few people notice. From the beginning of the poem, Walker uses repetition and says, “A woman is not a potted plant.” The audience becomes familiar with this pattern to a certain point in the poem where Walker simply returns to saying "A woman is." This is the powerful literary technique of transition. The transition is normally used to send a deep and strong message to the audience reading the poem. In Walker's case, she uses the transition to send the message of not what a woman is not, but what she is. This is the technique used by Walker that I appreciated the most. It really made me open my eyes and have a new understanding of the subject. To be completely honest, I didn't realize the poem was initially about what women are not until the transition came to life. Once the transition was revealed, I had a better understanding of the poem, more of the metaphors made sense, and the message spoke to me. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay with With the three key literary elements that Alice Walker used in her wonderful poem, she sent a message that not only appeals or speaks to women, but also speaks to everyone who has not still appreciated women for all that they do and all that they are. “A Woman Is Not a Potted Plant” has very strong potential because of the powerful theme about women, and the poem lived up to that potential. This poem was clearly created to give clarity to those who were blind in".”.