Classic Poems

In one comment, I want you to reflect on our class reading of the two classic poems, "Invictus" and "O Captain, My Captain."  Each reflection should be at least one paragraph. 

Thought Questions: What is the central theme or controlling idea in each poem? Who could benefit from reading these kinds of poems? What facts did you learn from our discussion? How do the poems make you feel? Would you recommend these poems to a friend? Why or why not? 

Invictus, by William Ernest Henley

O Captain, My Captain, by Walt Whitman

"Dead Poets Society" - CARPE DIEM

Honors English II. The Chosen - Dedication Page Explication

There is a quote on the dedication page of The Chosen by Karl A. Menninger. Reread this quote and explain, in a comment reply, its significance. 

Here is the quote: 

"When a trout rising to a fly gets hooked on a line and finds himself unable to swim about freely, he begins with a fight which results in struggles and splashes and sometimes an escape. Often, of course, the situation is too tough for him. In the same way the human being struggles with his environment and with the hooks that catch him. Sometimes he masters his difficulties; sometimes they are too much for him. His struggles are all that the world sees and it naturally misunderstands them. It is hard for a free fish to understand what is happening to a hooked one." 

Some hints to explicating this quote: 

• What might being "hooked" symbolize?
• What does the quote suggest about perseverance? 
• Why are struggles often misunderstood? 
• Why would it be difficult for a free "fish" to understand what happens to a hooked one? (i.e. Who are the symbolic "fish?")