Ms. Sue could you please look through this and tell me if my answers are correct, thank you very much:-) This was one poem which I was having troubles understanding. Mostly the 1st stanza.
What are Friends For-by rosellen brown
What are friends for, my mother asks.
A duty undone, visit missed,
casserole unbaked for sick Jane.
Someone has just made her bitter.
Nothing. They are for nothing, friends, I think. All they do in the end-they touch you. They fill you like music.
questions:
how does the mother's point of view of friendship differ from the daughter's?
I don't really understand half of the poem. I think that the mom is unable to get the actual picture. She is unable to get the point that friends are not "angels"; they are not supernatural beings, they are humans, and humans tend to make a lot of mistakes. Her daughter gets that point.
Am I correct on this one?
what poetic devices are in here?
-metaphors-compares friends to?
-simile-friens to music
Are there any other poetic devices in here?
which do you relate to better? stanza one or two.
I relate better to stanza two because I get how it describes music to friends. In the last stanza it's basically saying that as you listen to music; you begin to get the hang of it, and the music is memorized~it just stays in your mind and posesses your heart. In the same way friends appear, they build that relationship with you, and you are just unable to break it.
Am I correct? Any other views would be appreciated, thanks
I have nothing to add to your answers. They look good.
Thank you
From my understanding, here is the analysis of the poem "What are Friends For" by Rosellen Brown:
In the first stanza, the mother asks what friends are for, indicating her uncertainty about their purpose. She mentions duties left unfinished, missed visits, and an unbaked casserole for a sick friend named Jane. This suggests that the mother sees friendship as obligations and actions to be fulfilled.
In the second stanza, the daughter responds by saying that friends are ultimately for nothing. She believes that the true essence of friendship lies in the emotional connection and the intangible aspects of companionship. The lines "All they do in the end - they touch you. They fill you like music" use the metaphor of music to convey the idea that friends can deeply affect and enrich one's life.
Regarding your interpretation of the difference between the mother's and daughter's perspectives on friendship, it is correct to say that the mother seems to focus more on practical obligations and expectations in a friendship, while the daughter values the emotional connection and intangible qualities.
In terms of poetic devices, you correctly identify the metaphor comparing friends to music in the lines "They fill you like music." This metaphor suggests that just as music can evoke powerful emotions and uplift us, friends can have a similar effect. Additionally, the line "Someone has just made her bitter" implies the presence of personification, as bitterness is given a human attribute.
In terms of which stanza you relate to better, your interpretation of stanza two as describing the experience of music staying in your mind and possessing your heart resonating with your understanding of friendship is correct. However, it is essential to note that personal interpretation may vary, and others may relate more to the mother's perspective or have different insights into the poem.
In summary, your analysis and interpretations are correct, and it seems like you have a good understanding of the poem. Keep in mind that poetry can be subjective, so other views and interpretations are also valid.