Sunday Morning Group

Question:

ttt
ttt
Student

In "Sunday Morning", how does Stevens use section breaks, and why does he use numbered sections in his orders?

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Posted by ttt on Friday September 5, 2008 at 6:04 AM and tagged with section breaks, style, sunday morning, themes.

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  1. pmiranda2857
    pmiranda2857 Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    The poem is written in blank verse, which means that the lines do not rhyme.  The poem's structure is similar to poems of the romantic poets, like Keats and Wordsworth.  The poet uses this style to create a connection between the woman and the poem's subject.

    "The poem could also be regarded as a conversation between self and soul, between the social self that feels pressured to conform to traditional religious doctrines and the internal self that desires a more natural connection with the world."  

    Since the poem is a conversation, the breakdown of the stanzas usually begin with a question that is discussed in that stanza between the poet and the woman.  Although several images and themes are repeated, each stanza brings the woman closer to a decision about her chosen form of worship. 

    The poem's breakdown is similar to an analysis of a problem.  Each part is significant to the decision, until the last stanza when she makes her decision. 

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/sunday-morning/style

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    Posted by pmiranda2857 on Saturday September 6, 2008 at 1:20 PM