ANALYSIS OF POETRY PROMPTS
The information that follows come from an analysis of poetry prompts from released exams. About
one-third of the free-response prompts for poetry ask you to compare elements in two poems.
Content task Key ElementsShow how the use of language reveals the speaker’s attitude toward
_____.speaker’s attitudeTrace the speaker’s changing responses to his experience and
explain how they are conveyed by the poem’s diction, imagery, and
tone.speaker’s response/ attitudechanges/shiftsDiscuss how such elements as language, imagery, structure, and
point of view convey meaning.vague allusion to theme:
would need to determine
meaning on your ownConsidering such elements as speaker, diction, imagery, form, and
tone, write a well-organized essay in which you contrast the
speakers’ views of _____.compare/contrastspeakers’ of viewAnalyze how the speaker uses the imagery of the poem to reveal his
attitude toward _____. speaker’s attitudeDiscuss how the poem’s controlling metaphor expresses the
complex attitude of the speaker. speaker’s attitudeExplain how formal elements such as structure, syntax, diction, and
imagery reveal the speaker’s response to _____.speaker’s response (point of
view)Analyze how the poem reveals the speaker’s complex conception of
_____.speaker’s point of viewExplain how the poet conveys not just a literal description of _____
but a deeper understanding of the whole experience. poet’s point of viewCompare the portrayals of the _____. compare/contrastAnalyze how the author uses elements such as allusion, figurative
language, and tone to convey the speaker’s complex response to his
dismissal from court.speaker’s point of viewAnalyze how the poet employs literary devices in adapting the
Greek myth to a contemporary setting.compare/contrast