TPCASTT Poetry

Analysis

Ms. Turner, English I

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1/09 Poetry Unit: TP-CASTT - Blume

TPCASTT is an ACRONYM for…

Title

Paraphrase

Connotation

Attitude

Shift

Title

Theme

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First, let’s review some

vocabulary:

Literal = means “exact” or “not exaggerated”. Literal language is language that means exactly what is said. Most of the time, we use literal language.

Figurative = the opposite of literal language. Figurative language is language that means more than what it says on the surface. Often used by poets and other writers.

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Vocabulary Review

Denotation = the dictionary definition of a word or phrase

Connotation = a meaning suggested by a word or phrase, in addition to its exact (denotative) meaning; can be the emotional feelings associated with the word

Think of the denotative and connotativemeanings of words such as home, mother, love, peace, friend, etc.

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Title: What predictions can you

make about the poem from the

title? What are your initial

(first) thoughts about the poem?

What might be the theme of the

poem?

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Title:What predictions can you

make from the title?

The poem might be simply about

the Pacific ocean. Is it about some memory the author has or

some special feelings he has

about going to the beach?

(now read the poem)

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“Once by the Pacific” by Robert Frost

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The shattered water made a misty din.

Great waves looked over others coming in,

And thought of doing something to the shore

That water never did to land before.

The clouds were low and hairy in the skies,

Like locks blown forward in the gleam of eyes.

You could not tell, and yet it looked as if

The shore was lucky in being backed by cliff,

The cliff in being backed by continent;

It looked as if a night of dark intent

Was coming, and not only a night, an age.

Someone had better be prepared for rage.

There would be more than ocean-water broken

Before God's last Put out the Light was spoken.

Paraphrase: Describe what

happens in the poem, in your

own words.

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Paraphrase: Describe what

happens in the poem, in your

own words.

Waves are crashing on the

shore. The force of the waves

tells us that a great storm is

coming and reminds the

speaker of the end of the

world.

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Connotation: What might the

poem mean beyond the literal

level? Find examples of

imagery, metaphors, similes,

personification, symbolism,

idioms, hyperbole, alliteration,

rhyme scheme, rhythm, etc. and

think about their possible

connotative meanings. Consider

the emotional feelings that the

words may give the reader.

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Connotation: What might the

poem mean beyond the literal

level? Find examples of

imagery, metaphors, similes,

personification, symbolism,

idioms, hyperbole, alliteration,

rhyme scheme, rhythm, etc. and

think about their possible

connotative meanings. Consider

the emotional feelings that the

words may give the reader.

The poem might mean that the

crashing waves and oncoming storm

remind the speaker of the end of the

world.

There is a simple rhythm in the

rhyming couplet structure and use of

iambic pentameter. They rhythm may

be connected to the rhythmic sound

of waves crashing on a shore.

Rich imagery is created by the use of

devices such as personification and

simile.

“Put out the Light” is a Biblical allusion

to the creation of the universe. The

quote reverses the original reference

(“Let there be Light!” to suggest and ending instead of a beginning.

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Attitude: Describe the tone of the

poem. What is the poet’s attitude

toward the subject of the poem?

The speaker’s attitude? Find and

list examples that illustrate the

tone and mood of the poem

(these show attitude).

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Attitude: Describe the tone of

the poem. What is the poet’s

attitude toward the subject of

the poem? The speaker’s

attitude? Find and list examples

that illustrate the tone and mood

of the poem (these show

attitude). The tone of the poem seems to be

somber, pessimistic, fearful,

apocalyptic.

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Shift: Is there a shift (a change)

in the tone or speaker of the

poem? Where does the shift

happen in the poem? What

does it shift from and to?

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Shift: Is there a shift (a change)

in the tone or speaker of the

poem? Where does the shift

happen in the poem? What

does it shift from and to?

The shift occurs in line 10.

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Title: Look at the title again.

Have your original ideas about

the poem changed? How? What

do you think the title means

now?

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Theme: What is the overall

theme of the poem?

What insight, understanding,

lesson, or truth are we supposed

to have after reading this poem?

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Theme: What is the overall

theme of the poem?

What insight, understanding,

lesson, or truth are we supposed

to have after reading this poem?

The poem teaches us that

we should respect the raw

power wielded by nature.

Nature is symbolic of an

even greater power that

can both create life yet also destroy it.

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