2. City Planners by Margaret Atwood - Line by Line Analysis

Summary

Margaret Atwood's poem 'The City Planners' explores the tension between the artificial order of suburbia and the underlying chaos of nature. The poem uses various literary devices to highlight the speaker's disillusionment with the uniformity and control imposed by city planners.

• Irony — a literary device where the reality is different from appearances.
  Example: The speaker is offended by the 'sanities' of suburbia.
• Imagery — descriptive language that engages the senses.
  Example: The 'dry August sunlight' and 'sanitary trees' create a vivid picture.
• Personification — giving human traits to non-human things.
  Example: The driveways 'sidestep hysteria' by being even.
• Sibilance — repetition of 's' sounds to create a hissing effect.
  Example: 'Cruising these residential Sunday streets.'
• Metaphor — a comparison between two unlike things.
  Example: 'Love is a battlefield.'
• Simile — a comparison using 'like' or 'as'.
  Example: 'A splash of paint on brick surprising as a bruise.'

Exam Tips

Key Definitions to Remember

• Irony: A contrast between expectation and reality.
• Imagery: Descriptive language that appeals to the senses.
• Personification: Giving human characteristics to non-human things.
• Sibilance: Repetition of 's' sounds in a sequence of words.

Common Confusions

• Irony vs. Sarcasm: Irony is broader and not always sarcastic.
• Imagery vs. Symbolism: Imagery is sensory description, while symbolism represents ideas.

Typical Exam Questions

• How does the poet’s use of the words sanities, levelness, and rational affect the tone of the poem? She purposefully chooses words which sound neutral to convey the idea of uniformity in suburban life.
• What does the phrase 'rational whine' mean in line 11? A routine activity.
• What is the purpose of the figurative language in lines 11–12? To show how nature is not easily forced into a pattern.

What Examiners Usually Test

• Understanding of literary devices like irony and personification.
• Ability to analyze the poem's tone and mood.
• Interpretation of the poem's themes and messages.