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Essay / The Subliminal Message of "Permissibles" by Nikki Giovanni
Table of ContentsLiterary Analysis of "Permissibles"Importance of the SpeakerCharacterization and Literary DevicesTone and RhythmIronyConclusionReferencesPoetry has the remarkable ability to transport readers to various destinations, encouraging them to see the world from different angles. perspectives. In the poem “Allowables” by Nikki Giovanni, deep, subliminal messages revolve around the disappearance of a spider. This literary work paints a gripping portrait of an individual who admits to killing a spider out of fear, then embarking on a journey of reflection. “Allowed” eloquently develops the general theme that humans should show kindness and refrain from harming any living creature, employing a rich tapestry of literary elements. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayLiterary Analysis of “Authorized” Importance of the SpeakerIn “Authorized,” the speaker, an anonymous entity, employs first-person narration to establish an intimate and relational connection with the audience. Throughout this 16-line poem, the speaker repeatedly uses the pronoun “I,” suggesting the presence of a human perspective. The first line of the poem, "I killed a spider," sets a confessional tone, indicating that the narrator has an important revelation regarding the spider's disappearance to share with the reader. By recognizing his wrongdoing, the speaker achieves inner peace and resolution, a form of poetic justice. The role of the speaker in the poem is essential, driving the evolution of the story. Characterization and Literary Devices Insight into the spider's qualities is conveyed to the audience through the narrator's skillful use of literary devices such as symbolism, metaphors, imagery, and personification. Spiders symbolically represent human vulnerability and the lure of darkness, a concept perfectly integrated by the narrator. The speaker assures readers that the spider in question is neither a "murderous brown recluse" nor a "black widow." By referencing various species of spiders, the poem highlights the importance of diversity and advocates symbiotic coexistence among all living things. The theme behind the poem is that humans should refrain from harming others, regardless of their nature or identity, because diversity should be celebrated, not feared. The use of imagery and personification becomes evident as the poem progresses, revealing that the spider was "only a little/kind of paper spider." These visual descriptions emphasize the vulnerability of the spider, describing it as “paper,” evoking fragility and weakness. This representation revives empathy for the spider's unfortunate fate. The narrator further assigns a feminine gender to the spider by employing gender-specific pronouns such as "she" and "she" in lines 9–11, reinforcing the spider's perceived vulnerability. Therefore, the spider's vulnerability serves as a poignant reminder that it was an unwitting and unjust victim of the narrator's violence. Tone and Rhythm Tone and rhythm play a central role in shaping the audience's perspective on the central theme of the poem. The poem adheres to a free verse structure, lacking a fixed meter or rhyme scheme. The initial stanza consists of 11 lines and sets a rapid, prolonged rhythm, marked by action-oriented verbs like “killed” and “crushed.” However, a line break after the eleventh line signifies a shift from violence to fear. This change is further underlined by the