Freedom with restrictions a commentary on The Cyclist by Louis MacNiece Essay Example

Freedom with restrictions a commentary on The Cyclist by Louis MacNiece Essay In the poem The Cyclist by Louis MacNiece the readers are invited to share the joy and freedom of the cycling the boys are experiencing in summer via various literary devices. Through the use of theme, juxtaposition, repetition and sensory imagery, the poet is able to create a pleasant atmosphere of vigorous youth. However, by mentioning the school studies throughout the poem, Louis MacNiece subtly implies that negative things will always exist, even when we are experiencing the happiest moments in our life. The title of the poem already tells the readers that the focus of the poem is the cyclist, a young boy who is freewheeling down the escarpment (line 1). The very first word of the poem, freewheeling, brings the theme of freedom into this work. By describing the swift movement of the bike and applying the verb in present tense, it creates a continuous and unstoppable impression of the cycling process when the poet sets the action going down a hill. The speed of the bike is emphasized even more when the verb is juxtaposed with the unpassing horse (line 1). Because the boy is riding the bicycle with the pedals at rest, it also gives the feeling that the boy is relaxing so he can enjoy the moment of wind cools the sweat of his neck (line 3) to the fullest. We will write a custom essay sample on Freedom with restrictions a commentary on The Cyclist by Louis MacNiece specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Freedom with restrictions a commentary on The Cyclist by Louis MacNiece specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Freedom with restrictions a commentary on The Cyclist by Louis MacNiece specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Unfortunately, after a few lines later the readers find out although the boy seems to be free, he is still restricted between the horizons brackets (line 6). Brackets, together with chalk in line 2, refers to tools in classroom and grammar lessons in school that keep on occurring in the cycling boys mind even during summer holidays. Here the boy appears to be in an insecure mood that makes him grasp the [handlebars, as if it is] summer (line 4), because he has only mere five minutes (line 7) that completely belong to him to enjoy. The happiness and pleasure brought by freewheeling now appear to be somewhat tragic, as we learn they will not last long. The poem consists of 27 lines that are divided into three stanzas of varying lengths. If the first stanza is mainly devoted to the freedom of the cycling boy, then the second stanzas purpose is to build up the summer atmosphere by using remarkable imagery. In line 11, the phrase glaring, glaring white creates a dazzling effect, reminding of the color of summer sun. The repetition of glaring emphasizes the brightness of the light but gives a sense of danger at the same time too, as it produces an image of a teacher glaring at the student for wasting his time on cycling rather than studying. The heat in the summer time is further highlighted by the image of the grass boil[ing] with grasshoppers (line 13). The verb boil, that expresses the heat needed for liquid to turn into vapor, is so vivid that the readers can almost directly feel the incredibly high temperature. On the other hand, the image of grasshoppers being boiled alive by the heat seems too excessive and brutal, just like the glaring, glaring white light is too bright for people to look at. This exaggerated imagery reflects another restriction shown in the poem that positive things, such as warmth and light that all living creatures need in order to survive, can bring negative effects when being used without a limit. The poem goes on to describe the pleasure the boys are experiencing during summer, whetter through cycling or skateboarding, which the poet illustrates as surf[ing on] dust (line 17) and heat-wave (line 15). The enjambment between the second and third stanza does not seem abrupt, on the contrary, it gives the reader a break to enjoy the moment of hair thrown back (line 16) by the wind. However, right after the imagery full of leisure portraying the boys drink [summer] through closed eyelids (line 20), MacNiece introduces another turning point in the poem. The bell (line 20) obviously referring to the school bell brings the poem back to the school theme. The repetition of left-right-left (line 21 and 23) that describes the pedaling process at the end of the poem significantly contrasts the freewheeling at the beginning of cycling. The fact that the the boy must pedal again (line 22) and meanwhile remembering his forgotten sentence (line 21) indicates the joy the boy experiences in summer holiday will eventually fade away: he has to face the reality of schoolwork and start to study hard when the vacation ends. The poem finishes by referring to the unchangeable movements of the horse in the chalk (line 24). The horse, although much slower than the bike, can be regarded as the ultimate symbol of freedom, as unlike human, particularly the boy whose school will soon start, it moves calmly (repeated three times in line 25, 26 and 27) regardless of tenses and final clauses (line 26). This last juxtaposition of humans restrictions and animals freedom, together with various other literary devices used in this work, marks the final conclusion of this poem written by MacNiece: although we can experience joy and excitement in our lives, we can never truly be free.

National Stepfamily Resource Center Essay Essay Example

National Stepfamily Resource Center Essay Essay Example National Stepfamily Resource Center Essay Essay National Stepfamily Resource Center Essay Essay The first measure towards blending of a stepfamily is both parents taking a committedness to invariably work at their jobs and non give up when the traveling gets tough. Both of them have to understand the complexness of the state of affairs before acquiring into it. since kids with sensitive heads are traveling to be involved in the procedure. They besides have to see the fiscal portion of the whole trade. good in progress. to forestall struggles at a ulterior clip ( APA Health Center 2004 ) . The biological parent has to convey the thought of get downing a stepfamily to the kid. long before it really becomes a world. This is to guarantee that the kid is given adequate clip to get by up and go comfy with the new agreement. Before get downing a stepfamily. both spouses have to guarantee that they have sorted out issues from their past matrimonies. They should take equal clip to mend and recover from the old relationship. so that they are emotionally ready to get down another relationship. After all. a bad relationship surely can non seed the seeds for a successful stepfamily. Childs are really susceptible to their environment during their formative old ages. Hence. both parents should exert utmost cautiousness and restraint to forestall the kid from witnessing struggles and statements. in order to be healthy role-models ( Way2Hope ) . Parents should be mentally ready to manage letdowns and maladjustments at foremost. since a stepfamily is surely non designed to be an ideal agreement. The key is to bit by bit construct regard and trust with members of the stepfamily. Children need to be invariably reassured that they were non responsible for the dissolution of the old matrimony with the biological parent. particularly if the cause of separation is the decease of a parent. There needs to be an unfastened communicating channel with the kids in the signifier of little treatments. so that kids are non left stranded with confusions. unreciprocated inquiries and repressed emotions. A parent has to guarantee that stepchild and biological kid are non discriminated and given equal attending. It is indispensable for a parent to speak entirely with the biological kid every bit good as stepchild. so that they can understand each other better. They have to happen ways to link to the kids by organizing new household traditions that take topographic point on a regular footing. One of the facets of a closely-knit household is making things together. which brings in squad spirit and the joy of sharing. Once a household tradition starts to go on on a regular basis. it gives a sense of togetherness to the kids and would be a measure in the right way towards constructing a blended household. Family game darks. monthly field daies. annual holiday and Thanksgiving Day dinner could all really good be good household traditions that could populate on for old ages. possibly even coevalss. Care has to be taken to guarantee that the relationship between the stepchild and biological parent is sustained. since the kid needs attention from the biological parent to see a wholesome childhood ( All About Life Challenges ) . However. kids turning under joint detention of detached parents end up being raised under two families with different regulations and patterns ( National Stepfamily Resource Center ) . Hence. this may take to the kid acquiring assorted messages from both parents and being forced into a province of confusion. Hence. both the biological parent and measure parent have to speak with each other and come to a decision about the methods of training and handling the kid. Even after making these things right. if the kid finds it difficult to accommodate to the blended household. the parents should give it some clip for things to work their manner out of course and be unfastened to the thought of seeking professional aid if needed. Giving kids infinite to do up their ain heads at their ain gait is the key to constructing new relationships with them. For case. it is non just to anticipate a stepchild to turn to a measure parent as â€Å"dad† or â€Å"mom† since their biological parent is non replaceable ( Jaffe et. al 2008 ) . In due class of clip. household bonds would finally turn stronger as the kid additions respect for the measure parent. Mention: All About Life Challenges. Blended Families – Common Sense. Retrieved 9 July 2008. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. allaboutlifechallenges. org/blended-families. htm gt ; APA Health Center. ( 2004 ) . Families: Making Stepfamilies Work. Retrieved 9 July 2008. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. apahelpcenter. org/articles/article. php? id=41 gt ; Jaffe. J. Segal. J. Hutman. S A ; Barston. S. ( 2008. 8 January ) . Blending Families: a Guide for Stepparents. HelpGuide. Retrieved 9 July 2008. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. helpguide. org/mental/blended_families_stepfamilies. htm gt ; National Stepfamily Resource Center. Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved 9 July 2008. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. stepfamilies. info/faqs/faqs. php gt ; Way2Hope. Blended Family Problems. Retrieved 9 July 2008. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. way2hope. org/blended_family_problems. htm gt ;