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The Thought-Fox - Edited

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30 views6 pages

The Thought-Fox - Edited

Uploaded by

aishajawad2023
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Word Bank of Literary Devices

Literary
Definition
Device
Repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning
Alliteration
of words.
Assonance Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.
A comparison between two unlike things without using
Metaphor
"like" or "as."
A comparison between two unlike things using "like" or
Simile
"as."
Descriptive language that appeals to the senses (sight,
Imagery
sound, touch, etc.).
When an object or image represents a larger idea or
Symbolism
concept.
Personificatio
Giving human qualities to non-human things.
n
The continuation of a sentence or clause across a line
Enjambment
break.
The recurrence of words, phrases, or structures for
Repetition
emphasis.
Onomatopoei A word that imitates a natural sound (e.g., "buzz,"
a "whisper").
Tone The writer's attitude toward the subject or audience.
The atmosphere or emotional feeling created by a literary
Mood
work.
Poem: "The Thought-Fox" by Ted Hughes

I imagine this midnight moment's forest:


Something else is alive
Beside the clock's loneliness
And this blank page where my fingers move.

Through the window I see no star:


Something more near
Though deeper within darkness
Is entering the loneliness:

Cold, delicately as the dark snow


A fox's nose touches twig, leaf;
Two eyes serve a movement, that now
And again now, and now, and now

Sets neat prints into the snow


Between trees, and warily a lame
Shadow lags by stump and in hollow
Of a body that is bold to come

Across clearings, an eye,


A widening deepening greenness,
Brilliantly, concentratedly,
Coming about its own business

Till, with a sudden sharp hot stink of fox


It enters the dark hole of the head.
The window is starless still; the clock ticks,
The page is printed.

- Quatrains
- Free verse, with some rhyme in some stanzas
- 6 stanzas
- Lots of imagery
- Circular structure
Part 1: Understanding the Poem

1. What is the setting of the poem?


What images does the speaker use to describe the scene? What do
they suggest about the mood or tone?
The speaker uses the imagery of a fox walking around in the middle of
a snow-covered forest at night, creating a mysterious, muted, and
almost fantastical tone.

2. Who or what is the "fox" in the poem?


Is it a literal fox or does it represent something else? Explain your
interpretation using evidence from the text.
The fox in the poem represents an “idea”, inspiration and creativity
within the mind of a poet or writer. The description of how the fox
moves around the forest, as well as the last line that shows how the
fox “enters the dark hole of the mind”, suggests that the fox in the
poem symbolizes something, which is the idea in the writer’s mind. Just
like the fox in the poem, a creative idea can come from darkness, from
nowhere, and directly pop up into the mind of a writer, which is
referred to as the “black hole” by the poet.

3. How does the poet create a sense of movement throughout the


poem?
Find examples of literary devices (e.g., enjambment, repetition) that
contribute to the sense of motion. How do they enhance the poem's
meaning?

Continuous enjambment and caesura create a sense of motion in the poem.


The increase in pace of the poem caused by enjambment juxtaposes to the
abrupt stops caused by caesura, creating a feeling of motion. Along with
using a combination of these contrasting devices to create different speeds,
the imagery of the fox’s movement conveyed through the word choice of
“delicately (moving)“, and “sudden sharp” also contribute greatly to
creating a sense of motion.
Part 2: Exploring Literary Devices

3. Find and explain one example of personification in the poem.


Why does Ted Hughes use personification here? What effect does it
have on your understanding of the poem's theme?
The use of personification to describe how an idea comes to the mind
of a poet, makes it easy for the readers to understand the process (of
an idea popping up in the mind of the writer). The detailed description
of the fox’s movement through the forest and its eventual ending, help
to highlight the theme of inspiration, and how it makes its way into the
“black hole” of the mind.

5. How is imagery used to convey the arrival of the fox?


Pick at least two vivid images and explain how they help you visualize the
scene.

“A widening deepening greenness.”

This is a very strong image, as it clearly describes the moment of epiphany.


The word “widening”, shows the exact moment when the idea becomes
clearer in the mind of the writer. Moreover, the use of the word “greenness”
clarifies the fact that the fox in the poem is a symbol, representing creativity.

“The page is printed”

This phrase uses synecdoche to convey how the poet has completed their
final draft, after writing out their idea and inserting creativity. The
“page”represents the entire writing, book, article, etc. After the long
sentence which contains enjambment, this short sentence brings the poem
to an abrupt stop, as the work has been completed.

6. Ted Hughes uses alliteration in several places.


Identify one example of alliteration in the poem. What effect does it create?

The phrase “midnight moment's” is an alliteration in the poem, where the


repetition of the “m” sounds creates a heavy, dull and sort of muted sound.
This creates a sense of depth, reflecting how deep in the night this event
takes place.
7. Identify a metaphor or simile in the poem.
Explain how the comparison adds to the poem's meaning or imagery.

“It enters the dark hole of the head”, is a line in the poem which contains a
metaphor. The effect of the metaphor “dark hole”, is that it clarifies the
purpose of the poem to the reader, which is about describing how an idea
comes to the mind of a writer. Comparing the mind to a “’dark hole” is
extremely powerful, as it suggests complete darkness, nothingness and
blankness – reflecting how at first, there is no inspiration in the mind of the
author, though later, that changes.

Part 3: Themes and Symbols

8. The poem touches on themes of creativity and the writing


process.
How does the fox symbolize the act of writing or inspiration? Use specific
lines to support your answer.

The fox symbolizes the way creativity enters the mind of a poet. This is
supported by the line, “It enters the dark hole of the head”, as this action is a
personification of how inspiration enters the mind, when it is completely void
of ideas and creativity. Here, “dark hole” represents the blank mind of the
writers, when there are no ideas.

9. What does the "blank page" at the start of the poem represent?
How does it connect to the ending where "the page is printed"?

The word “page” is used in the poem to represent writing, and so referring to
it at the start and end of the poem conveys the message that the writing has
been done. The blank page represents the first stage of writing, when the
author tries to come up with ideas and points to write about; whereas the
printed page represents the last stage of writing, when the final draft has
been perfected.

10. The poem makes frequent references to darkness and


loneliness.
What role do these elements play in the poem's theme? How do they interact
with the idea of the fox and its movement?

The frequent references to darkness and loneliness represent the stage of


writing when the mind is void of any creative ideas. The fox’s movement in
the dark forest represents how an idea makes its way and starts making
sense in the mind slowly and gradually, eventually bursting right through.

Part 4: Creative Response

11. Imagine you are the speaker at the end of the poem.
Write a short journal entry (3-5 sentences) reflecting on the experience of
watching the fox and what it means for you as a writer.

Dear diary,

My mind was as blank as sand in the desert, and void of any ideas that could
guide me in my writing. In the midst of such darkness, a bold fellow in the
dark forest slyly made its way around. Its carefully calculated steps, and
cunning movement reminded me of how grand ideas have popped into my
head before, and during this time of blankness, the fellow saved me – it gave
me a new idea for the book. Another epiphany moment.

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