Pass / Fail By Linda Pastan - 1149 Words

In the poem â€Å"Pass/Fail,† by Linda Pastan, the author speaks of an uncanny feeling of failure always looming. The persons desire to persevere is not enough to actually succeed; for there will always be a task waiting to be failed. The poem has a theme; it is a representation of a life goal that can not be achieved by simply dreaming. It takes initiative and courage to stand up and aim for that goal in life. Although the poem follows a negative prospective of achieving greatness, the writer does specify the ambition that one has will not matter for their perseverance will not be enough to pass the examination destined to fail the dream one tries to achieve. The author seems to disagree with the American dream, an idea that everyone has the opportunity to achieve success with hard work. The fact of the matter is no matter what, people must work for success because success is not achieved without ambition for something greater. Although, Pastan expresses an opposing point of view the perseverance one has is enough to achieve greatness with enough hard work. The writer argues â€Å"No matter how you succeed awake, asleep there is a test waiting to be failed† (2.4.7.2). Although this reference tells of a nightmare, it is not necessarily accurate, because once one is awake and succeeding there is nothing to be failed when asleep. The dream is an illusion not a reality; the reality is what one makes of it. The reality is the ambition to strive for success, once one succeeds in theShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of `` By Linda Pastan And The Poem Myth By Natasha Tretheway1870 Words   |  8 Pagesmild depression. Often more than not, individuals confuse the days of unhappiness and the lack of desire to function with the rest of the world with major depression. When analyzing the poem Marks by Linda Pastan and the poem Myth by Natasha Tretheway I notice key features of a depressed individual. Pastan and Tretheway portray each of their characters as a depress ed individual; because they focus so keenly on their unhappiness with their lives, and even suicide. Many people will argue that poetry andRead MoreLinda Patan Poem the Marks2115 Words   |  9 PagesFeminist Theory The poem â€Å"Marks† by Linda Pastan is a short piece that focuses on a housewife’s duties being graded by her family as if it were her homework. The wife is graded by her husband, son and daughter using different three grading systems, each time being told that she could do better, but ends by saying that the family should â€Å"Wait ‘til they learn / I’m dropping out† (10-11). In an interview on â€Å"The Newshour with Jim Lehrer† with Jeffrey Brown in 2003, Pastan said that â€Å"I think I ve alwaysRead MoreTraditional Gender Roles By Linda Pastan962 Words   |  4 Pagesmisogynistic undertones in just about everything. From media to everyday life, it is a plague that runs rampant in the lives of everyone whether or not they realize it. For the sake of this paper, we will analyze these instances in a literary work. Linda Pastan, in her poem Marks, finds that traditional gender roles, denial of subjectivity and instrumentality cause the s peaker to reject her role in her family. Traditional gender roles are any gendered stereotype that makes men or women feel like theyRead MoreSetting Analysis of the Story of an Hour Essay1125 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstanding of what is going through her mind and symbolizes her emotions as she mourns and finds peace at the death of her husband . Nathan Valentino English 112 Prof. Tom Flanigan 2/6/13 The Effects of Under Appreciation on a Housewife In Linda Pastan’s poem â€Å"Marks† a woman is speaking about how she feel underappreciated in her family after all the things she does for them. The poem is set up almost as a report card, the things she has to do as a housewife are her subjects, and the responses