Analysis of Literary Devices in The Black Walnut Tree

Prompt Examples for the "Black Walnut Tree" Essays

• Symbolism and Metaphors in "The Black Walnut Tree"
  Explore the use of symbolism and metaphors in Mary Oliver's poem "The Black Walnut Tree." How does the black walnut tree symbolize different aspects of the family's history and identity? Analyze specific metaphors to support your interpretation.
• Imagery and Its Role in Conveying Emotions
  Analyze the imagery employed by Mary Oliver to convey the evolving emotions and perspectives of the speaker towards the black walnut tree. How does the imagery contribute to the theme of resilience in the face of hardship?
• The Family's Connection to the Tree
  Examine the relationship between the family and the black walnut tree throughout the poem. How does this relationship change from the beginning to the end? What does the tree represent in terms of family history and heritage?
• The Impact of the Past on the Present
  Discuss the theme of the past's influence on the present and future in "The Black Walnut Tree." How does the poem illustrate the idea that ancestral actions and decisions still affect subsequent generations?
• Interpreting Dreams in the Poem
  Explore the significance of the dream mentioned in the poem, where the daughter envisions her "fathers out of Bohemia filling the blue fields of fresh and generous Ohio." How does this dream contribute to the overall message and meaning of the poem?

The Black Walnut Tree AP Lit Essay Example

The poem “The Black Walnut Tree” by Mary Oliver uses symbolism, metaphors, and imagery as some of the literary devices in the poem. These literary devices also portray the theme of how resilient a family could be in times of hardship.

May Oliver uses imagery to show the relationship of the tree and the family by describing how it “will churn down its dark boughs, smashing the house”. (7-8)This description of the house being destroyed shows how they viewed the tree at the beginning of the poem. However, this is also when they are only thinking about the money.

Later in the poem, the mood towards the tree changes by having the speaker realize that they would “crawl with shame in emptiness we’d made in our own and our father’s backyard.”(27-29) This demonstrates the grief that they would go through if they lost a piece of their family history. How for everything that their ancestors did would it be wrong to just sell it.

However, the tree can also symbolize their current family and their family history as mentioned earlier. This can also be seen in a dream that the daughter had where her” fathers out of Bohemia filling the blue fields of fresh and generous Ohio ….” (22 -24) This dream represents how she sees the tree as more than just a tree. It is their family and everyone who has lived before them.

In conclusion, Mary Oliver uses the symbol of a black walnut tree to show the theme of how the past can still affect the present and the future by causing hardship, she also uses metaphors and imagery to convey how the speaker feels about the tree or her ancestors.

The poem “ The Black Walnut Tree” by Mary Oliver uses symbolism, metaphors, and imagery as some of the literary devices in the poem. These literary devices also portray the theme of how resilient a family could be in times of hardship.

May Oliver uses imagery to show the relationship of the tree and the family by describing how it “will churn down its dark boughs, smashing the house”. (7-8)This description of the house being destroyed shows how they viewed the tree at the beginning of the poem. However, this is also when they are only thinking about the money.

Later in the poem, the mood towards the tree changes by having the speaker realize that they would “crawl with shame in emptiness we’d made in our own and our father’s backyard.”(27-29) This demonstrates the grief that they would go through if they lost a piece of their family history. How for everything that their ancestors did would it be wrong to just sell it.

However, the tree can also symbolize their current family and their family history as mentioned earlier. This can also be seen in a dream that the daughter had where her” fathers out of Bohemia filling the blue fields of fresh and generous Ohio ….” (22 -24) This dream represents how she sees the tree as more than just a tree. It is their family and everyone who has lived before them.

In conclusion, Mary Oliver uses the symbol of a black walnut tree to show the theme of how the past can still affect the present and the future by causing hardship, she also uses metaphors and imagery to convey how the speaker feels about the tree or her ancestors.