Imagery
...lluted environment, and the image of the burnt-out cigarette, suggests that the time is running out, or already has, for society. Eliot effectively uses his images to signify the corruption of modern society. His line of the “grimy scraps” also shows an image of dirt, perhaps a blurry, dusty society. His use of the “withered leaves” not only talks about the leaves itself, but he is also connecting to the general idea of loss of meaning in society. Throughout the poem Eliot uses the images to explain and construct his impression of the modern city. Once the function of these images is understood in Eliot‘s poem, then the meaning of the poem becomes very clear to figure out. Anne Stevenson also uses her images very well in “The Victory”. The opening lines have a tone of conflict. On the outside, it looks as if the poem is describing a mother giving birth. She accepts the baby, but she also shows the darker part of childbirth by using imagery in words such as “gory”, “bruise”, and “scary”. In the poem, Stevenson stresses the fact that even though the pain is harsh when giving birth, there is also pain that may even be unphysical. Words like “You barb the air. You sting with bladed cries” show the emotional ...