TP-CASTT Poetry Analysis
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1/09 Poetry Unit: TP-CASTT - Blume 1
TP-CASTT is an ACRONYM
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First, let’s review some vocabulary:
• literal = means “exact” or “not exaggerated”.
Literal language is language that means exactly
what is said. Most of the time, we use literal
language.
• figurative = the opposite of literal language.
Figurative language is language that means
more than what it says on the surface. Often
used by poets and other writers.
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Review vocabulary, continued:
• denotation = the dictionary definition of a word
or phrase
• connotation = a meaning suggested by a word
or phrase, in addition to its exact (denotative)
meaning; can be the emotional feelings
associated with the word
Think of the denotative and connotative
meanings of words such as home, mother, love,
peace, friend, etc.
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Write the following
title and author on your
TP-CASTT handout
Piano
by D. H. Lawrence
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Title: What predictions can you
make about the poem from the
title? What are your initial
(first) thoughts about the poem?
What might be the theme of the
poem?
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Title: What predictions can you The poem might be simply about a
make from the title? piano or playing a piano . Is it about
some memory the author has or some
special feelings he has about his piano?
(now read the poem)
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Piano by D. H. Lawrence.
Softly, in the dusk, a woman is singing to me;
Taking me back down the vista of years, till I see
A child sitting under the piano, in the boom of the tingling strings
And pressing the small, poised feet of a mother who smiles as she sings.
In spite of myself, the insidious mastery of song
Betrays me back, till the heart of me weeps to belong
To the old Sunday evenings at home, with winter outside
And hymns in the cozy parlour, the tinkling piano our guide.
So now it is vain for the singer to burst into clamour
With the great black piano appassionato. The glamour
Of childish days is upon me, my manhood is cast
Down in the flood of remembrance, I weep like a child for the past.
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Title: What predictions can you
make from the title? Read the
poem. What are your initial
(first) thoughts about the poem?
What might be the theme of the
poem?
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Title: What predictions can you
make from the title? Read the It seems like the author is saddened by a
poem. What are your initial childhood memory. Maybe the theme is
(first) thoughts about the poem? regret or nostalgia.
What might be the theme of the
poem?
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Paraphrase: Describe what
happens in the poem, in your
own words.
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Paraphrase: Describe what The poet/speaker hears a woman
happens in the poem, in your singing, which makes him vividly recall
own words. a childhood memory. He listened to his
mother playing the piano, while sitting
underneath the piano and touching her
feet. He longs to be back in the cozy,
happy home of his family, when he was a
child. He is overcome by emotion and
cries.
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Connotation: What might the
poem mean beyond the literal
level? Find examples of
imagery, metaphors, similes,
personification, symbolism,
idioms, hyperbole, alliteration,
rhyme scheme, rhythm, etc. and
think about their possible
connotative meanings. Consider
the emotional feelings that the
words may give the reader.
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Connotation: What might the The poem might mean that the author/speaker
is unhappy with his current adult life. Things
poem mean beyond the literal
seemed to be quite loving and warm in his
level? Find examples of childhood.
imagery, metaphors, similes,
personification, symbolism, There is a simple rhythm in the three-stanza,
idioms, hyperbole, alliteration, rhyming couplet structure, maybe related to
rhyme scheme, rhythm, etc. and his pleasant, more simple childhood. The
think about their possible piano itself is a symbol of rhythmic emotion.
connotative meanings. Rich imagery created by use of such devices
Consider the emotional feelings as onomatopoeia (boom, tingling, tinkling)
that the words may give the and simile (weep like a child). The word
reader. “appassionato” suggests heightened emotions
(passion).
“Manhood is cast down” suggests he is giving
in to his longings for the past.
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Attitude: Describe the tone of the
poem. What is the poet’s attitude
toward the subject of the poem?
The speaker’s attitude? Find and
list examples that illustrate the
tone and mood of the poem
(these show attitude).
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Attitude: Describe the tone of The poet/speaker’s tone seems to be one
the poem. What is the poet’s of sadness and longing, as shown by “till
attitude toward the subject of the heart of me weeps to belong…”, “the
the poem? The speaker’s glamour of childish days is upon me…”,
attitude? Find and list examples and “I weep like a child for the past”.
that illustrate the tone and
mood of the poem (these show “softly, in the dusk…”
attitude).
“a mother who smiles as she sings…”
“betrays me back, till the heart of me
weeps to belong…”
“cast down in a flood of
remembrance…”
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Shift: Is there a shift (a change)
in the tone or speaker of the
poem? Where does the shift
happen in the poem? What
does it shift from and to?
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Shift: Is there a shift (a change) There is a subtle shift in tone from the
in the tone or speaker of the beginning of the poem ,which seems like
poem? Where does the shift a simple recollection of a childhood
happen in the poem? What memory.
does it shift from and to? In the second stanza, the author/speaker
uses words like “betrays” and “weeps” to
indicate a desire to return to these
happier times.
Then in the third stanza, words like “it is
in vain”, “appassionato”, “manhood is
cast down”, “flood of remembrance”,
and “I weep like a child for the past”
demonstrate a more painful longing to
have things the way they used to be.
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Title: Look at the title again.
Have your original ideas about
the poem changed? How? What
do you think the title means
now?
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Title: Look at the title again. I think the title Piano represents a focal
Have your original ideas about point for the author/speaker’s feelings.
the poem changed? How? What Pianos and music are, by nature,
do you think the title means connected with our emotions and often
now? with other people in our lives. Music can
prompt us to feel very deeply, and thus
the piano comes to represent a much
happier time in the life of the
author/speaker.
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Theme: What is the overall
theme of the poem?
What insight, understanding,
lesson, or truth are we supposed
to have after reading this
poem?
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Theme: What is the overall The theme of the poem appears to be
theme of the poem? longing for the past, which may seem to
What insight, understanding, have been more loving and happy.
lesson, or truth are we supposed
to have after reading this
poem?
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Doing a TP-CASTT poem analysis will
help you turn your observations into
meaningful discussions or writing.
You have noticed the details - now can put
them together so you can understand and
talk about the poem much better.
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