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148 Unit 2 ■ Analyzing Comparisons and Representations

ALTERNATE TEXTS statesman, and scientist Francis Bacon (1561–1626) advocated a scientific process
based on the observation of nature followed by inductive reasoning about the ob-
TRM Lit Links. servations. While it may sound obvious now, this empiricism — the revolutionary
If you’re looking for a shorter text with a idea that knowledge comes from our sensory experiences — forms the basis of the
similar idea, you may opt for an excerpt modern scientific method.
from the 1999 novel Fasting, Feasting If Francis Bacon embodied these Renaissance ideals, so did the English
by Indian novelist Anita Desai. The 2008 poet, clergyman, scholar, soldier, and politician John Donne (1572–1631). While
®
AP Exam (Question 2) presents an excerpt Donne’s poetry explores powerful emotional responses to love, death, sex, faith,
from this novel in which the protagonist has and other universal themes, it does so with irony, dazzling wit, and elaborate meta-
a transformational experience at the beach. physical conceits (i.e., comparisons) that highlight his intellectual sophistication.
Have students examine how the third per- Indeed, twentieth-century modernist writers such as T. S. Eliot revered Donne and
son narrator’s selection of detail and word other “metaphysical poets” of this era for their ability to express both complex
choice reveals the character of Arun. You thoughts and emotions simultaneously. We can see this skill on display in Donne’s
can find the passage in Lit Links. famous poem “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” (p. 149).
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.
Some students may appreciate hearing Today writers and artists continue to draw upon the power of metaphor. Pop
the spoken word poem, “If I Should Have icons such as Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, and others use concrete
a Daughter” by Sarah Kay, which may be and familiar objects to make comparisons to complex human emotions.
accessed through the Lit Links. Have stu-
dents describe how the speaker’s words
and images contribute to the tone of the
poem. As an extension, you may show
Kay’s TED talk where she further explains
how personal experiences can be trans-
formed into poetry.
John Donne’s metaphysical poem “The
Flea” may be more accessible to students
than “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning.”
Read the poem aloud multiple times, each
time by a different student. Have a discus-
sion with students about fleas and ticks and
how they draw upon others for their liveli-
hood. Ask students to explain how and why
Donne chooses a flea as an appropriate
metaphor. “The Flea” is available through The Thinker statue is located on
Lit Links. Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs were used with this sample chapter.
the grounds of the Musee Rodin,
In Pablo Neruda’s poem “Sonnet XVII” Paris.
(available through Lit Links) the speaker
makes comparisons between an aspect of What qualities or characteristics davidf/iStock/Getty Images
the natural world and human feeling. Ask could this statue represent to both
students to consider the specific aspects its original Renaissance audience
of comparison in the poem and then to and to contemporary viewers?
discuss how the speaker’s comparison
reveals his perspective and tone.

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148 Unit 2 Analyzing Comparisons and Representations

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