Perfect Dress by Marisa de los Santos

This essay will be an in-depth explication of one of the poems listed at the end of this assignment. As Kennedy and Gioia state, in an explication “a writer explains an entire poem in detail, unraveling its complexities” (1941). An explication may be thought of as an argument about what is going on in the poem, how it is making its purpose known to the reader, as the poem moves along. (Explication literally means “unfolding”, so think of how deeper meaning is unfolded to the reader as he or she reads). Please note: EXPLICATION IS NOT A LINE BY LINE PARAPHRASE, but seeks to make explicit a poem’s deeper meaning, theme, message, lesson, etc., by calling attention, as it proceeds, to the denotations or connotations of words, the function of structure, rhythm or rhymes (if any), the development of contrasts, the use of irony, simile, metaphor, and any other contributions to meaning Even though you are dealing with a relatively short poem, you will probably find that some lines prove your point better than others, and you may need to cover briefly (or skip entirely) the less important ones. Also, it’s fine to describe a later line before an earlier one if that seems the best way of handling the explication. Your introduction should include the title of the poem (in quotation marks) and the name of the poet. You may want to mention the form of the poem here, or save that for later. You should then state your thesis, which should express what you understand, after careful analysis, to be the poem’s overall meaning, purpose, theme, etc. Your essay’s body paragraphs should develop the message you claim the poem unfolds as it progresses. Divide the poem into several segments; then write a paragraph about each segment. Be sure you make clear to your readers how each segment contributes to what you have said is the meaning, etc. of the poem. Please note: Although your explication will for the most part move steadily from the beginning to the end of the poem, try to avoid transitions along these lines: “In line one…, In the second line…, In the third line…, etc.” Instead, use transitions such as “The poem begins…, In the next line…, The speaker adds…, She then introduces…, The next stanza begins with the words….” This will sound more polished and better help guide your readers through the poem.