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Platania 1

ENGL 165W (4206) PAPER 1 July 16, 2018 Tone Theme, and Point of View in “Monologue for an Onion”

Throughout the poem Monologue for An Onion, I feel as though much character of the writer Suji Kwock Kim was revealed. There isn't much information regarding Kim other than where she attended universities, and slight family background. Although it is hard to say how she was realistically feeling at the time of writing it, there are some inklings of heartbreak and sorrow. The theme of Monologue of an Onion clearly is inevitable heartbreak, or inevitable pain, in which sometimes we continue to relive despite the same consequences. This poem was written in 2003, despite the 15 years that have gone by, I think the relevance of this topic will forever last. Although Monologue for an Onion may seem like a poem mainly about a vegetable and its life, it ironically is not. Knowing the anatomy of an onion is strikingly important however not the main idea. Humans and onions are alike such that both have layers, and layers, leading to the core. The first line of the poem, the speaker begins empathetically, “I don’t mean to make you cry”. The start of the first stanza is depicting a blue yet endearing hope for the reader, from the onion. The poem continues to deepen in emotion as it reads “I mean nothing, but this has not kept you/ [f]rom peeling away my body, layer by layer,” (2,3). Truthfully the onion should not be of much significance to a human, however reading furthermore, “but this has not kept you” (2) leads me to believe that the onion is well aware of the inevitable failure this relationship will experience. “[F]rom peeling away my body layer by layer” (3),as a reader I automatically am drawn to the fact that Kim is not speaking about an onion, but as a recent lover. Sometimes during relationships, one opens up more than the other, in this poem the ex-lover may have had a tumultuous past that he/she doesn’t want to reveal yet is being pushed every day to. The language used during “the peeling” is clear cut and extremely direct, this translates emotionally. Layer by layer

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nothing comes out except the tears of the individual prying and prying, in hopes to it leading to something big, bright, or full. Monologue for an Onion has a total of seven stanzas, and each stanza has a total of three lines. Each stanza is unique such that there is a transition in tone and emotion throughout each one. The second stanza starts by reading, “The tears clouding your eyes as the table fills/ [w]ith husks, cut flesh, all the debris of pursuit” (4,5), portrays such a sad yet recklessly callous tone. Tears continue to fill your eyes, as a result of being denied the reason you made the pursuit in the first place, all the hard work put in, for nothing but tears to have come from it. The tone continues to be unforgiving throughout every stanza from here on out. Furthering to the third stanza there is a continuous and reckless harsh tone overshadowing as the speaker states “Hunt all you want. Beneath each skin of mine/ [l]ies another skin” (7,8). The tone is sarcastic while reciting “hunt all you want” and ends pitilessly as the onion explains it will be long before you meet the core. Essentially the reader can hope to find the slightest clue but will never find anything he/she wants due to the onion forever having many layers until the “secret core”. Throughout the first second and third stanza remains an emotionally harsh tone that reveals that Suji Kwock Kim most likely went through a heartbreak and still remains sad. Now furthering onto the fourth stanza, the tone begins to appear foul. “Look at you, chopping and weeping. Idiot” (10), and “enough is enough” (15). As the onion grows impatient of the choppers feelings, I think he frustratingly states enough is enough because this relationship in literal terms, crying while peeling an onion is inevitable, yet metaphorically, trying hard to change someone’s purpose, mission, feelings, or a situation that is out of your hands is too, inevitable. People and circumstances do not change, enough with trying, enough with continuing on and holding on to what you hope will change but will never change. However, calling the chopper an idiot is a sign of exasperation and hatred. However, during the fifth stanza is when the onion nonchalantly explains “you are the one in pieces” (22,23). The chopper is always the only individual who grows more upset as each layer is peeled. Crying and weeping, as if the outcome didn’t remain the same every single time.

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Finally, in the last stanza, a sense of sympathy for having a heart, the onion states “you are divided at the heart,/ lost in its maze of chambers, blood, and love,/ a heart that will one day beat you to death” (28-30). There is a sense of recognition that there is no hope in trying to help someone “move on” sort of speak due to the heart one may have. Every heart and mind is different, every direction someone decides to move in, and every decision someone decides to make is always accompanied by ones heart, which will eventually and literally one day “beat you to death”(30). Gathering the information, tone, and emotion attached to this poem I think Suji Kwock Kim is an extremely passionate and emotional person who must see the best in everyone and understands that everyone deserves chances that they may not deserve. Despite how certain individuals react to different circumstances, her heart remains just as dear and full. Throughout this poem the speaker seems slightly conflicted. During the beginning of the poem the speaker comes off as somewhat remorseful, and empathetic. However, proceeding through the poem tone takes a turn and the speaker becomes frustrated, angry, and unpleasant. However, the onion seems like a realists, and everything he does say to the chopper is realistic and truthful, but from a readers point of view it comes off as cold. I think it comes off as cold to me because it’s the first time I am reading this, however it isn’t the first, second, or third time the onion is explaining it. Realistically speaking, one can become rather frustrated during a conversation with someone who has the utmost hope during such an inevitable situation. Despite how the speaker and the chopper do not see eye to eye, there is still a relationship that has manifested itself. A manifested relationship that seems to be everlasting.

Bibliography

Kennedy, X. J., and Dana Gioia. An Introduction to Poetry. Longman, 2002. Kim, Suji Kwock. “Monologue for an Onion.” Poets.org, Academy of American Poets, 27 Apr. 2017, www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/monologue-onion.

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Argument topic thesis or argument audience motive/purpose

The argument is clear, insightful, thoughtprovoking, and focused. The argument consistently supports the topic, thesis, and audience for the paper. Motive is clearly established early in the essay.

The argument is clear and focused, supporting a clearly-stated central thesis, but it is not consistently insightful or thought-provoking. Provides some sense of motive but it requires clarity.

The argument is clear but conventional or general. The thesis is too simple (or obvious) to sustain a worthwhile paper. There is little attempt to provide motive.

The argument is unclear or clichéd and demonstrates a lack of focus. The thesis is vague, poorly worded, or missing. There is no attempt to provide motive.

Development details, analysis evidence examples logic

Demonstrates strong analysis with little or no plot summary; provides abundant details and examples that arouse audience interest; proceeds logically with relevant, specific, and insightful evidence.

Development is adequate, but may lack depth; details and examples arouse audience interest; mostly proceeds in a logical fashion with relevant, specific evidence.

Development is sufficient but general, providing adequate but perhaps not interesting details, examples, and evidence. Some logical jumps are present in the argument. May use excessive plot summary.

Development is insufficient, providing scarce or irrelevant details, evidence, and examples. Frequent logical jumps or unsupported claims. May use excessive plot summary.

Organization structure coherence unity transitions conclusion

Organization is coherent, unified and effective in support of the paper’s purpose/ plan and consistently demonstrates effective and appropriate rhetorical transitions between ideas and paragraphs. Includes a strong conclusion.

Organization is coherent, unified and effective in support of the paper’s purpose/ plan and usually demonstrates effective and appropriate rhetorical transitions between ideas and paragraphs. Contains an adequate conclusion.

Organization is coherent and unified overall in support of the essay’s purpose/plan, but is ineffective at times and may demonstrate abrupt or weak transitions between ideas or paragraphs. Contains a weak conclusion.

Organization is confused and fragmented in support of the essay’s purpose/ plan and demonstrates a lack of structure or coherence that negatively affects readability. Contains an irrelevant/purposeless conclusion (or none at all).

Style & Mechanics sentence structure word choice tone (formal style) grammar spelling punctuation

Style is confident, readable and rhetorically effective in tone, incorporating varied sentence structure, precise word choice and correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. (Mastery of style).

Style is readable and rhetorically effective in tone, incorporating varied sentence structure, effective word choice, and correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. (Effective style)

Style is readable, but unremarkable in tone, sometimes including a lack of sentence variety, effective word choice, or some distracting, but not serious, errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation. (Readable but inconsistent style).

Style is incoherent or inappropriate in tone, including a lack of sentence variety, ineffective or inappropriate word choice, and serious errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation. (Ineffective style).

Format presentation, sources, documentation, MLA style

Format is correct, meets all assignment directions, and works expertly to support the essay’s purpose/prompt.

Format is correct, meets all assignment directions, and works generally to support the essay’s purpose/prompt.

Format is adequate with some errors, meets critical aspects of assignment directions, and at times works to support the essay’s purpose/prompt.

Format is faulty, does not meet sufficient aspects of the assignment direction, and does not support the essay’s purpose/ prompt.

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Overall B-0...