What are the literary elements of this poem and what does it mean?
Foundations
Leopold Staff
I built on the sand
And it tumbled down,
I built on a rock
And it tumbled down.
Now when I build, I shall begin
With the smoke from the chimney.
http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1337283389
i don't really understand because this poem seems so vague
Think of the story about the three little pigs:
http://www.shol.com/agita/pigs.htm
That's a very old story that has been around for ages and ages!
There are parts of the first 4 lines that seem to allude to this story.
Now ask yourself this: Why would a builder start with the smoke instead of wood or stone or other dwelling materials?
Would it be because you can't blow smoke away?
or because you can?
please help me!
Or is the unsuccessful builder thinking it doesn't matter what the house is built on ... that nothing is indestructible?
Staff's nuanced view was influenced by his experiences of the atrocities of WWII as a Polish Philosopher. Poland was one of the first countries to be invaded by Germany during WWII and they had a significant Jewish and Christian population. Staff uses biblical allusions in his first line "I built on the sand/ And it tumbled down," to reference the famous Christian parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders in foundations. According to Mathew 7: 24-27. "And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand… and it fell…" Substitute house for teaching of Jesus/belief in God and sand for weal foundation, then the parable is saying that men need to practice Jesus's teachings and have a strong foundation of beliefs to not falter. On the contrary, the "wise man, who built his house on the rock." the house didn’t fall. Therefore those who do practice Jesus's teachings and have strong foundational beliefs will not falter. However, Staff challenges the parables teachings, as he follows the first two lines with "I built on a rock/ And it tumbled down. " Therefore, by Staff contradicting the parables teaching. He argues that Jesus's teaching are not the answer to life and not enough to live compassionately.
Foundations continues, " Now when I build, I shall begin/ With the smoke from the chimney". Since, Staff was Polish, and the poem is publish during the war, the smoke from the chimney represents the ashes of the Jewish who were murdered in the concentration camps during WWII. Staff proposes that we should learn from the atrocities of WWII. The Germans were predominately Christian and their beliefs ended in millions of lives lost. The teachings of Jesus did not save millions of Jewish lives. Our foundational beliefs should be built from the memory of those who perished. We should start compassion in honour of those who passed.
To analyze the literary elements of a poem and determine its meaning, you typically need to examine various aspects, including the poem's structure, language, imagery, and theme. In the case of Leopold Staff's poem "Foundations," let's explore these elements:
1. Structure: "Foundations" is a short poem consisting of five lines. It does not follow a specific rhyme scheme or meter. The brevity of the poem enhances its impact and emphasizes the key message.
2. Language: The language used is straightforward and concise. The repetition of the phrases "I built on the sand / And it tumbled down" and "I built on a rock / And it tumbled down" creates a sense of vulnerability and failure. The last line, "Now when I build, I shall begin / With the smoke from the chimney," introduces a shift in perspective and demonstrates a change in the speaker's approach.
3. Imagery: The contrasting images of building on sand and rock symbolize aspects of stability and instability. Sand represents a weak foundation, while a rock signifies strength. These images depict the speaker's previous attempts and failures to find a solid foundation.
4. Theme: The poem explores the theme of resilience and learning from past mistakes. The repetition of failed attempts suggests that the speaker has experienced disappointment, but the final line indicates a shift towards a different approach. Starting with "the smoke from the chimney" suggests an unconventional metaphorical foundation and implies that the speaker is using his experiences to find a more stable and meaningful starting point in life.
To fully comprehend the poem's meaning, it is essential to consider your personal interpretation and how the poem resonates with you. Poetry can evoke different emotions and thoughts for different readers, so your understanding may differ from others' interpretations.