Study Notes
Margaret Atwood's poem 'The City Planners' uses various linguistic devices to critique the artificiality and uniformity of suburban life. The poem employs vivid imagery to depict a sterile and overly orderly world, contrasting it with chaotic elements to highlight the underlying disorder. Metaphors are used to suggest hidden dangers and the futility of human attempts at control. Irony is present in the portrayal of city planners as irrational, despite their attempts to impose order. Oxymorons emphasize the contradictions in suburban planning.
- Imagery — descriptive language that creates vivid pictures in the reader's mind.
Example: "the smell of spilt oil a faint sickness lingering in the garages." - Metaphor — a figure of speech that compares two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'.
Example: "the houses, capsized, will slide obliquely into the clay seas." - Irony — a literary device where the intended meaning is opposite to the literal meaning.
Example: "the City Planners with the insane faces of political conspirators." - Oxymoron — a figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear together.
Example: "transitory lines rigid as wooden borders."
Exam Tips
Key Definitions to Remember
- Imagery: Descriptive language that creates vivid pictures in the reader's mind.
- Metaphor: A figure of speech that compares two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'.
- Irony: A literary device where the intended meaning is opposite to the literal meaning.
- Oxymoron: A figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear together.
Common Confusions
- Confusing metaphor with simile; remember, similes use 'like' or 'as'.
- Misinterpreting irony as sarcasm; irony is broader and not always humorous.
Typical Exam Questions
- How does Atwood use imagery to convey themes in 'The City Planners'? Atwood uses imagery to depict the artificiality and hidden chaos of suburban life.
- What is the effect of irony in the poem? Irony highlights the absurdity of the planners' attempts to control the environment.
- Identify and explain an oxymoron in the poem. "Transitory lines rigid" suggests the impermanence and inflexibility of suburban planning.
What Examiners Usually Test
- Understanding of key linguistic devices and their effects.
- Ability to identify examples of imagery, metaphor, irony, and oxymoron in the poem.
- Interpretation of how these devices contribute to the poem's themes.