Example poem: “Dreams” by Langston Hughes

TPCASTT is an acronym that students can use to help analyze and understand the “puzzle” of a poem. I suggest memorizing the acronym so that it can be used on ANY test that requires analysis of poetry.

T- TitleP- ParaphraseC- ConnotationA- AttitudeS- ShiftsT- TitleT- Theme

DreamsHold fast to dreamsFor if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreamsFor when dreams goLife is a barren fieldFrozen with snow.

-Langston Hughes

Examine the title before reading the poem. Consider connotations of the title. Make predictions about what the poem may be about.Write down your predictions.You will reflect on the title again after reading the poem.

DreamsHold fast to dreamsFor if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreamsFor when dreams goLife is a barren fieldFrozen with snow.

-Langston Hughes

Aspirations what you want to eventually do in life Sleep dreaming about becoming a police officer Imagination

DreamsHold fast to dreamsFor if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreamsFor when dreams goLife is a barren fieldFrozen with snow.

-Langston Hughes

The title “Dreams” may be about this speaker’s hopes. It may be about dreams that occur while one sleeps.The words I think of are: rest, hope, goals, yearning, etc.

Paraphrasing is putting something in your own words.Translate the poem into your own words. You could do this line by line(as I have done on the next slide) or stanza by stanza depending on the length of the poem.

1. Hold on tight to dreams2. Because if dreams die3. Life is like an injured

bird4. That cannot fly.5. Hold on tight to dreams6. Because when dreams

are lost7. Life is like a field with

nothing in it8. That is frozen with

snow

DreamsHold fast to dreamsFor if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreamsFor when dreams goLife is a barren fieldFrozen with snow.

-Langston Hughes

This marks the end of your literal thinking. Everything after this point must be you looking at the figurative, connotative, creative meaning behind the poem.This is your chance to show me “SO WHAT?” Why should I care about this? Prove to me your explanations are accurate!

1. Examine the poem for meaning beyond the literal.

2. Look for poetic devices. Annotate the poem or take notes.

3. After finding examples, answer the following questions: “Are there any connections between what the poet is saying and the devices he/she chose to use?” and “What was the purpose behind using those devices?

Possible devices include:1. Alliteration, Consonance, Assonance2. Simile or Metaphor3. Hyperbole 4. Repetition5. Allusion 6. Oxymoron 7. Imagery The five senses

8. Point of view 9. Rhyme or Rhyme Scheme Remember, these are only suggestions. Use your poetic

devices handout to search for other fitting devices.

Personification – if you don’t have a dream then your life is worthless. Metaphor – a human that is

unable to achieve their goal therefore they feel sad and weak Imagery – if you don’t have

dreams then life is oblivious barren field represents empty Repetition – “dreams” poem is

about dreams and explains what would happen if your dreams are gone: your life would be boring and standard Symbolism- 3 bird=freedom,

dreams are supposed to be free so. But the bird here is broken so it is not free. If a bird cannot fly then it does not do anything (it’s has no point in living) SO if you don’t have dreams then there is no point in living.

Dreams1 Hold fast to dreams2 For if dreams die3 Life is a broken-winged bird4 That cannot fly.

5 Hold fast to dreams6 For when dreams go7 Life is a barren field8 Frozen with snow.

-Langston Hughes

ABCB

ADED

Personification- dreams die, dreams go Metaphor- life is a broken winged

bird, life is a barren field Imagery- broken winged bird that

cannot fly, barren field frozen with snow End rhymes- die, fly and go, snow Repetition- Hold fast to dreams Rhyme scheme- ABCB,

ADED(notice the rhyme scheme matches what the poet wants of us “to hold fast to dreams” which is why he repeats it) Symbolism- broken-winged bird:

person wanting freedom, barren field: opportunity, frozen/snow: death

DreamsHold fast to dreamsFor if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreamsFor when dreams goLife is a barren fieldFrozen with snow.

-Langston Hughes

Examine the speaker’s and poet’s attitude towards the theme or topic.The speaker and poet may or may not be one in same.

Inspiring 7/8 b/c without dreams life is rough and boring SpeakerDepressed 1-4 b/c the author might have exp some type of depression in the pastStern 2-4 b/c speaker saying that if you don’t have dreams then life is meaningless and you can’t do anything

Dreams1 Hold fast to dreams2 For if dreams die3 Life is a broken-winged bird4 That cannot fly.

5 Hold fast to dreams6 For when dreams go7 Life is a barren field8 Frozen with snow.

-Langston Hughes

The author’s tone is cautionary and somewhat melancholyThe speaker wants to persevereThere is a tone of warning“if you don’t do this, then this may occur in life”Authoritative / imperative / gives advice

DreamsHold fast to dreamsFor if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreamsFor when dreams goLife is a barren fieldFrozen with snow.

-Langston Hughes

Note shifts in tone or structure of the poem. Is there a sudden change in the attitude of the speaker?

Energetic 1 to depressing 2 b/c gives you an explanation on what happens if you don’t hold onto your dreamsAdvising 1-2 to serious 3-4 b/c it warns you about what happens if you don’t have a dreamTalking about death 1-2 and 3-4 failure failure is piling on top of itself.

Dreams1 Hold fast to dreams2 For if dreams die3 Life is a broken-winged bird4 That cannot fly.

5 Hold fast to dreams6 For when dreams go7 Life is a barren field8 Frozen with snow.

-Langston Hughes

The poem has two full sentences ending in periods and stanzas are broken up into short 3 to 5 word lines. Stanza 1: tone-melancholy, warning but still hopefulStanza 2: tone-authoritative and more final(less hopeful)

DreamsHold fast to dreamsFor if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreamsFor when dreams goLife is a barren fieldFrozen with snow.

-Langston Hughes

Examine the title again, this time on an interpretive level.Use what you have observed from your analysis of the connotation, attitude, and shifts.

Future goals

Inspiration and thoughts

Goals

DreamsHold fast to dreamsFor if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreamsFor when dreams goLife is a barren fieldFrozen with snow.

-Langston Hughes

The title is very indicative of what the poem will be about. The poem is about hopes, dreams and continuing to dream, and the title represents that clearly. Life stops without dreams.

DreamsHold fast to dreamsFor if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreamsFor when dreams goLife is a barren fieldFrozen with snow.

-Langston Hughes

List the subjects. Then look at your paraphrase. From these, make a sentence telling what point the poet is trying to get across.

Theme(s):Hold on tight to dreams because when dreams die life is like an injured bird.

DreamsHold fast to dreamsFor if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreamsFor when dreams goLife is a barren fieldFrozen with snow.

-Langston Hughes

Plot: The author is telling the audience to keep dreaming because it makes life better and essentially makes life worth living

Subject(s):Dreams/Dreaming, Life, Value

Theme(s): Continuing to dream will lead to a good life Lack of dreaming, or not having dreams, makes life empty or worthless.

DreamsHold fast to dreamsFor if dreams dieLife is a broken-winged birdThat cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreamsFor when dreams goLife is a barren fieldFrozen with snow.

-Langston Hughes