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ESSAY |
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INTRODUCTION
Rooted in the way we engage with texts ridden with hardship is the essential presence of empathy.¹ This fundamental human quality enables us to comprehend the issues conveyed in poetry, deliberately represented to activate our instinctive reaction of wanting to relate to affected groups. This dynamic is evident in Kenneth Slessor’s oeuvre, grounded by his exploration of neglect, grief, and prejudice as significant challenges that govern our understanding of the world. In turn, we are urged to empathise with the experiences of others and reach a fuller understanding of what it means to be human.²
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1. The thesis does not just reword the question; it adds a layer of judgement to it to capture the attention of the marker and establish the stance I will be taking for the rest of the essay.
2. The text, themes, and concepts are integrated seamlessly, as opposed to me saying “Kenneth Slessor’s Poem 1 explores the theme of loss. Kenneth Slessor’s Poem 2 looks at the theme of regret.” What you should aim for in your introduction is to establish the general premise of your essay and provide a hypothesis on the audience impact as I have done in this last sentence.
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PARAGRAPH 1
Empathy is enlisted as a natural response whenever we are confronted with the challenges that arise from neglect. The titular Wild Grapes functions as an extended metaphor, representing a wider collective experience for those impacted by abandonment. The emphasis on how the grapes were “there / But kept no more by vanished Mulligans” is created from the use of enjambment to shift us into this confronting, unattended space.³ Signs of neglect are further hinted in how they have “lingered on / Defiantly when all have gone away.” Through the juxtaposition of “lingering” and “away,” Slessor⁴ poetically creates the tension that resides in the orchard and how the place seems to exist in a state of static restlessness. This visual imagery illustrates the traumatic repercussions of neglect and yet, the collective’s determination to persist beyond their challenging circumstances.⁵ This is further displayed within their “harsh sweetness”, an oxymoron which encapsulates the detrimental effects of neglect and its hidden capacity for shaping character in a positive light should one believe in it. By eliciting both sympathy and admiration from us within his verse, Slessor enables us to access our ability to empathise and engage more meaningfully with others.⁶
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3. I chose to look at enjambment here which is a technique specific to poetry. This means that from the very first piece of textual evidence, I have made clear to the marker that I am aware of the importance of form and genre, and am able to conduct analysis with these conventions in mind.
4. After you refer to the poet in the introduction by his full name, you should refer to them solely by surname from then on. I had a student who deliberately called Shakespeare “William” throughout his essay just to poke fun, which I found very entertaining... but your English teacher will definitely not.
5. Here, I am still analysing the previous quote but it flows perfectly into this sentence without me having to requote the textual evidence.
6. This linking sentence here is where you can see audience impact really emerge, and we end the paragraph with a strong assertion of the overall intention of the poems.
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PARAGRAPH 2
Furthermore, empathy acts as a healing vehicle for assisting us in understanding and overcoming through grief.⁷ Fuelling the subject matter of Beach Burial with tragic depictions of the aftermath of war, Slessor intensifies his representation of loss as an inevitable, but a transformative experience. The persona observes how the “morning rolls them in the foam”, playing on a pun of grief coming in waves. This lightens the confronting image of corpses, “the convoys of dead soldiers” with the sight of dawn and friendly waters.⁸ The persona voices in a melancholy tone the “last signature of men,” personifying further how “the words choke as they begin.” Illuminating the lingering effects of the soldier’s legacies, with diction suggesting finality,⁹ Slessor recognises the way suffering transcends time and place, challenging our assumptions on grief as a passing sensation without lasting, emotional consequences. However, the paradoxical nature of grieving being also one of healing is mirrored in the poem with the visual imagery protruding from “the sand joins them together.” Combined with the inviting personal pronoun “them”, Slessor unites the seamen not only with each other but to those beyond the confines of the poem, enkindling an empathetic response from us.¹⁰ Thus, we arm ourselves with empathy as we come to understand that grief is integral to the human condition and it is in this understanding that we find ourselves moving forward.
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7. This next topic sentence introduces the new focus for the essay (which is the theme of grief) but reminds the marker that we are still looking at empathy as the central concept. I also try to keep strong linking words solely for topic sentences like this to show a movement to my next argument, rather than in the middle of a paragraph where we are still on the same theme.
8. These two pieces of analysis are dependent on one another to exist in order to make sense. While this is often a risky move, it does tighten your analysis and shows the marker that your ideas are clearly building upon one another.
9. Varying your techniques is highly ideal; try to have different examples within the same quote used to illustrate the breadth of your knowledge wherever you can.
10. Using “however” can often be difficult because you may end up contradicting yourself. But in this instance, I have used it to expand my argument and add another layer, to it which is effective for convincing the marker that empathy is really key to this poem.
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PARAGRAPH 3
Within our prejudices lies an untapped potential to empathise, allowing us to find value and meaning.¹¹ Slessor subverts our preconceived views on the foibles of modern society through his expressive portrayals in William Street. In his opening line, “the red globe of light, the liquor green,” Slessor utilises colour symbolism to generate an emotive connection to the artificiality of the cityscape. Through the use of¹² contrast, Slessor believes that they “go deeper than a stream” and amplifies the man-made with the natural. In this vivid imagery, prejudices towards groups involved in inferior lifestyles through society’s eyes, alluded to in the derogatory slang of “the dips and molls,” are lifted; the poem suggests that it is in those environments in which the heart of the city figuratively beats.¹³ This is further achieved in “grease that blesses onions with a hiss” – the hyperbole elevates the quality of the persona’s, and our own, sensory experience of the culture thriving in the setting. Heightening our sensations of the urban landscape, our prejudices are combated by our desire to empathise with the challenges faced by those navigating the urban climate. As the persona’s sifts through the scenes of the city, a refrain “You find this ugly, I find this lovely” echoes and permeates¹⁴ the poem.¹⁵ Therefore, Slessor convinces us to reimagine the setting as one that is filled with life and humanity and to empathise with those struggling within it, rather than succumbing to our prejudice.
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11. At this stage of the essay, we are still on track because I made sure I integrated the words from the question such as “empathise” and “human.”
12. I personally am not a fan of this phraseology, but it does help make this sentence clearer. However, where possible, try to instead say ‘through juxtaposition...’ instead of ‘through the use of juxtaposition...’
13. This bit of analysis is my attempt of being a little more poetic and using figurative language myself to add some flair and personal voice to the essay. Be experimental in your own writing and find expressions that you can use yourself.
14. Permeates: to spread throughout something.
15. Whenever there are refrains in the poem, I usually leave these to the very end of the paragraph to analyse since I can examine their overarching meaning and link this to the poem’s broader purpose.
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CONCLUSION
In this sense, empathy is what grants us the ability to better understand and value human existence, shortcomings and all.¹⁶ Slessor’s poetry delves into the complexities that underline the challenges others may face, encouraging sensitivity towards neglect, grief and prejudice. Ultimately, poetry seeks to enlighten us on the challenging, but also insightful, experiences that shape humanity by channelling our inherent ability to empathise with others.¹⁷
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16. Your argument should already be well-established by the time you get to your conclusion, though this is your opportunity to reinforce your key ideas.
17. This final sentence suggests the greater purpose of poetry in light of the question and sums everything up nicely with an audience impact link.
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