Archer 1

Christopher Archer

Prof. Chase

HU 2503

15 March 2018

“The Business” recounts a story of two brothers, placed at odds by their father. The poem is

rife with metaphor. For instance, “digging / out the ground under each other’s feet” (Mays 974)

is a metaphor which makes use of the vehicle “digging ground” to describe the tenor of the two

brothers’ attempts at creating folly for the other, because of their mutual jealousies.

Another metaphor is “yoked them / into his business” (Mays 974). This metaphor uses the

vehicle “yoked” to create the tenor of the brothers being pushed into their father’s business. This

illustration is powerful, because one can picture the brothers as oxen or draft horses, toiling in

the yoke. A yoke is a heavy crosspiece; the imagery adds a sense of weight to the brothers’

burdens.

A third metaphor “how success is a knife driven into the brother’s chest” (Mays 974) uses the

knife as a vehicle to create the tenor of one brother’s pain, when he is assaulted with the other

brother’s success. A knife driven into the chest is powerful imagery. It invokes the reader’s

ability to relate with the pain of jealousy. The metaphor continues with “how one must pay with

another’s life / for his own” (Mays 974), which begs the reader to draw the conclusion that one’s

success must be paid with another’s misfortune.

The poem continues with the metaphor “like a magic bread / that doesn’t run out” (Mays 974)

to describe what a powerful emotion jealousy can be. Magic bread is the vehicle, while the tenor
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is how jealousy is all consuming. This creates the impression that there is no depth to the feeling

of jealousy, and unless they deliberately strive for peace, the brothers will always hold animosity

for one another.

The poem “Sonnet”, by Billy Collins is a clever sonnet which lampoons other sonnets, by

mimicking them, and by referencing the qualities of the sonnet form. The poem is fourteen lines

long, like a traditional sonnet. The first line actually references this, “All we need is fourteen

lines, well, thirteen now” (Mays 1113). So, the poem uses a line to reference the line

requirements. This continues with the second line, “and after this one just a dozen”, (Mays 1113)

and the fourth “then only ten more…” (Mays 1113).

There is no particular rhyme scheme, though lines three and four end in rhyme. Only the last

line uses iambic pentameter, though it references Shakespeare’s use of iambic pentameter with

“How easily it goes unless you get Elizabethan / and insist the iambic bongos must be played”.

(Mays 1113) Iambic bongos is a reference to the rhythm of iambic pentameter. Line seven

references rhyme, while rhyming the word rhymes with the word lines.

“Sonnet” also references other sonnets with the use of metaphor in line three, “to launch a

little ship on love’s storm-tossed seas” (Mays 1113). Sonnets traditionally are employed as love

poems. The little ship is the sonnet, which floats in the seas of love. Line eleven is also a

reference to the most typical subject of sonnets, longing and heartache.

The author addresses the technical aspects of writing a sonnet, but he feels the convention of a

traditional sonnet is boring. He is able to reference the technical aspects, and typical subject

matter, while also showing he is able to color outside the lines, and still write a compelling

poem.
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“Where Are you going, Where Have You Been” is rich with symbolism. The character

“Arnold Friend” may be interpreted to be a disguised Lucifer. Arnold’s appearance is appealing

to Connie, but his manner is also unsettling. She describes him as muscular, and lean, but he also

has trouble standing. Satan is often depicted as charming, yet nonetheless disconcerting. Satan is

also depicted as having cloven hoofs, instead of feet.

Arnold Friend’s boots, and his trouble with standing in them, are mentioned several times,

throughout the story. “She looked out to see Arnold Friend… lurching. He almost fell. But, like a

clever drunken man, he managed to catch his balance. He wobbled in his high boots…” (Mays

133). “One of his boots was at a strange angle, as if his foot wasn't in it. It pointed out to the left,

bent at the ankle.” (Mays 134). “He had to bend and adjust his boots. Evidently his feet did not

go all the way down…” (Mays 134). “…his face red from bending over or maybe from

embarrassment because Connie had seen his boots.” (Mays 134)

Arnold’s boots, and his feet not fitting in them, integrate with the author’s other descriptions of

Arnold, and his behaviors, to compel the reader to draw the conclusion that Arnold is Satan, in

disguise.

“Flight Patterns” by Sherman Alexie may be interpreted through the lens of historical

criticism, because the story is so interlaced with the consciousness of post-9/11 American

society. The context of the story and the perspective of the protagonist are shaped by the events

of September 11, and it’s affect on American culture. Specifically, 9/11 changed the way

Americans perceive race and identity, and the formation of cultural stereotypes.
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The story specifically references 9/11. “William understood her fear of flying and of his

flight. He was afraid of flying, too… After the horrible violence of September 11…” (Mays 57).

The protagonist’s phobia, in regard to race, are also touched upon. “William always scanned the

airports and airplanes for little brown guys who reeked of fundamentalism.” (Mays 57).

The attitude of the protagonist, in relation to race, were specifically shaped by the terrorist

attacks. After the 9/11 attacks, Americans were in a state of paranoia. Americans were quick to

react, by stereotyping people, based on appearance. Even the protagonist’s daughter is caught up

in the influence of 9/11. “She’d been especially afraid since Sptember 11 of the previous year

and constantly quizzed William about what he would do if terrorists hijacked his plane. (Mays

57).

The author also uses the protagonist’s race to create parallels, and demonstrate how 9/11

changed our society, in a very palpable way. The protagonist himself is a little brown guy, being

of Native American descent. The protagonist is using racial profiling, when he himself might be

racially profiled. By using the historical setting of post 9/11 American culture, the story

demonstrates the ironies of racism.

Works Cited
Mays, Kelly J. The Norton Introduction to Literature: 12th Edition. New York: W. W. Norton & Company,
2016.