Course Project Part One PDF

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Course Project Part One HUM200 snhu20/21...

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1 Exploration Document Johnathon Lesly HUM200

Cultural Artifacts My first work is “The Art of Drowning” by Billy Collins in which he talks about what it would be like for your life to flash before your eyes. My second work “London, 1802” by William Wordsworth the author talks about returning London to its former glory. Common Theme What I see in both works is the act of reflection on the past. Where Mr. Collins is talking about having your life flash before your eyes right before death Mr. Wordsworth is reflecting on the "glory days". Both works deal with reflection in a way even though Collins is a sceptic of life flashing before your eyes before death. Personal Experience The theme of reflection is around us all it can manifest through looking through old photographs or studying history. By reflecting on the past, we can help shape the future. Profession Reflection is an important part of psychology. In psychology, it is important to reflect on the past in order to deal with present problems. A general understanding of the humanities is crucial when trying to understand psychological principles. Studying the humanities provides critical thinking skills that benefit the profession of psychology. Humanities Resources My first resource is from Harper's magazine where Scott Horton, a human rights attorney and lecturer at Columbia Law School, writes an analysis of the poem London,1802 by William Wordsworth. He talks about how this poem marks the point where Wordsworth changes from

2 being a revolutionary to a more reflective nature. The Second resource that I listed is an analysis by Emma Baldwin, a writer for Poem Analysis, of The Art of Drowning by Billy Collins. In her analysis she breaks down the poem by exploring the different themes and techniques used by Mr. Collins. My third resource I also found on Poem Analysis by Miz Alb, an English teacher and contributor to Poem Analysis. This resource is a full analysis for the poem London,1802 by William Wordsworth giving details about the theme and setting of the poem. Historical Context The poems I selected were written in two vastly different times. Billy Collins wrote the Art of Drowning in the mid-1990s while William Wordsworth wrote London,1802 in 1802 during the industrial revolution. While Wordsworth was mourning the loss of virtues in his poem, Collins gives a humorous speculation on what it would be like to drown having your life flash before your eyes. Both authors wrote their respective poems after initially finding success in other works before. Similarities and Differences Both The Art of Drowning and London, 1802 feature reflection on the past in their own way. Wordsworth in London, 1802 "nostalgically looks back at England before the Industrial Revolution." (Alb) but in The Art of Drowning Collins talks about life flashing before your eyes right before death. Wordsworth's poem is a plea for the spirit of Milton to bring England back to its former glory, which he is reflecting on. Collins, on the other hand, in his poem muses about the moment before death where someone's life flashes before their eyes. Even though Collins is a skeptic of the idea, he talks about what it would be like to have such a reflection. As Emma Balwin stated in her analysis, "In the fourth stanza of ‘The Art of Drowning’ the speaker expresses his doubts that there even is a flash at the end of one’s life" (Baldwin).

3 Medium Collins uses a five stanza poem written in free verse without rhyme or rhythm. It includes some rhyme and half rhyme in it but not completely (Baldwin). Wordsworth uses a sonnet, written with the Petrarchan form (Alb). He writes it as an address to John Milton in the second person. Thesis Statement Billy Collins and William Wordsworth present the theme of reflection in two unique ways in their works of The Art of Drowning and London, 1802. Audience The Ideal audience for my presentation would be anyone who is interested in how different people use reflection in their lives. I am choosing this audience because anyone can benefit from reflection on the past. Message To tailor this presentation to my audience, I will use layman's terms to explain the significances of each poem without weighing it down with jargon. When I first started looking at analysis of these poems, I was constantly having to look up terms which distracted from learning about the poem. I find it to be a better learning experience when I don't need to explain what words mean but being able to get right into what is important about the work. So I plan on staying away from jargon and focusing instead on the topic itself.

4 References Horton, S. (2012, October 15). Wordsworth – London, 1802. Harper's Magazine. https://harpers.org/2010/02/wordsworth-london-1802/. Baldwin, E., (2020, January 4). The Art of Drowning by Billy Collins. Poem Analysis. Retrieved from https://poemanalysis.com/billy-collins/the-art-of-drowning/ Alb, M., (2020, August 10). London, 1802 by William Wordsworth. Poem Analysis. Retrieved from https://poemanalysis.com/william-wordsworth/london-1802/...