The Seafarer

By: AristotelLogan

In your groups, discuss times that you have

been rebellious. Be prepared to share with the whole class.

(5 Minutes)

Opening Activity

William Carlos Williams contrasts the cold sea

with a fiery passion of the sailor who challenges the sea.

Thesis

William Carlos Williams uses metaphors,

personification, and hyperboles to enhance the poem.

“I who am the rocks! Without me nothing laughs.” Shows an example of a hyperbole.

“the rocks seem rather to leap at the sea” Is an example of personification.

“riding the cloth of foam or pinnacles with gannets” shows a metaphor.

Gannets – Large Seabirds. Pinnacles – Rocks.

Style

The poem has two stanzas, one short stanza

followed by a longer stanza. Williams also uses two hyphens which outlines

the importance of the words before and after the hyphens.

“The Sea Will Wash In, But the Rocks Are The Stubborn Man.” – Stanza One

Structure

The language Williams uses shows

Acknowledgement of storms and other events. “He Invites the Storm, He lives By It! Instinct with fears that are not

fears, but Prickles of ecstasy.”

The Quote shows that The man is brave and challenges storms, as if the sailor does not fear anything.

Third Person POV.

Language | POV

Throughout the poem, William Carlos Williams

uses Alliteration, meter, personification, and metaphors.

Example of Meter: “With Fears that are not Fears.” “At the Sea, Than the Sea.”

Examples of Personification: “Rocks Seem to Leap at the sea.” “They strain forward to grasp ships.”

Example Of A Metaphor: “riding the cloth of foam or pinnacles with gannets”

Sound

The overall tone of the story was bold. The man in the story seemed to be provoking

the storm. “He Invites the Storm,”

“It is I! I who am the Rocks! Without me, Nothing Laughs.”

Shows dominance throughout the story.

Mood | Tone

The Poet’s Description of the rocks appeal to

the readers mind as he reads the details of the rocks at sea.

The poet uses rocks to represent the importance of the sailor, and the sailors connection to the rocks.

Sense

“Prickles of Ecstasy, a secret liquor, a fire that inflames his blood to

coldness.”

This quote shows the sailor’s passion for storms, his love for them.

“The rocks seem rather to leap at the sea than the sea to envelope them. They strain to grasp ships or even the sky bends down.”

This is personification that Williams used to emphasize the importance of rocks.

Symbols | Imagery

A stubborn sailor challenging storms as he

roams waters across the world. “He invites the storm, he lives by it!” Lines 7-8 “…fears that are not fears but prickles of ecstasy,” Lines 9-10

One man asserting his dominance over nature. “Without me nothing laughs.” Line 22

Interpretation

Discuss In Groups

In what ways do the final two lines show importance to the poem, in other words, why did the author include these last two lines?

Activity