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Which TWO lines in the poem help the reader determine the theme ?

Which TWO lines in the poem help the reader determine the theme ?-example-1
User Anders Johansson
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Identifying the theme of a poem involves close scrutiny of lines packed with thematic significance, often found at critical junctures like stanza endings. These lines should be analyzed in the context of imagery, symbolism, and tone to fully grasp the encapsulated themes.

When analyzing a poem to determine its theme, it is essential to keenly observe lines that encapsulate the central message or core ideas presented. In the context of our exercise, two lines in particular can often illuminate the poem's theme. For instance, the final lines in a stanza may carry significant weight, summarizing key thematic elements or providing a turning point that reveals deeper meanings.

An explanation could dive into how these lines reflect on broader concepts such as human condition, nature, beauty, decay, or other prevalent themes of the poem's era or style. The specific poetry analysis should also consider how imagery, symbolism, and tone contribute to the encapsulation of the theme within these pivotal lines.

An informed conclusion will not only provide an answer about which two lines help discern the theme but will also synthesize these observations within the broader context of the poem, bringing to light how form, content, and diction interplay to underscore the poem's central message.

User Tenatious
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Answer:

The two lines which determine the theme of the poem are :-

"And the song of our hearts shall be,

While the winds and the waters rave,"

The poem A Life on the Ocean Wave by Epes Sargent is about a person who is desperate to go back to his life as a sailor. He misses the "the flashing brine/The spray and the tempest's roar!" of the sea, because a sea voyage is full of dangers to overcome and adventures to conquer. The narrator cannot adjust to his life on land, as said in the poem - "Like an eagle caged, I pine On this dull, unchanging shore..". Thus, the sailor desires to go back to see with his "stout vessel and crew" to witness the "rolling sea".

User Passiondroid
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