Final answer:
Analyzing alliteration in poetry involves identifying repeated consonant sounds at the beginning of words, which can affect the rhythm and emotion of the poem, helping enhance the reader's understanding of the speaker's feelings.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question pertains to the use of alliteration in a passage from Alexie's "The Powwow at the End of the World." Alliteration is a literary device where the same consonant sound is repeated at the beginning of multiple words close to each other. In poetry, alliteration can help create a rhythm or emphasis on certain words, enhancing the mood or tone of the poem. When analyzing how these sounds reflect the speaker's feelings, one can pay attention to the sensation of pronouncing these words and how the repeated consonant sounds contribute to the overall emotion and rhythm of the poem. For example, a series of soft sounds might create a soothing effect, while harsher sounds might evoke tension or urgency.
Through alliteration, poets can draw attention to specific sections of poetry, thereby affecting the poem's tone and potentially influencing the reader's interpretation of the speaker's emotions. By examining the way words sound when read aloud, one can discern the tactile and auditory qualities that the poet is using to immerse the reader in the narrative.