Five O’clock Shadow

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Five O’Clock Shadow In the Poem, “Five O’Clock Shadow,” Sir John Benjamin establishes a certain tones by using specific diction. Each word adds a new tone to the poem and help illustrate an image in the authors mind. For instance, the title of this poem itself “Five O’clock Shadow,” sets the feel to the story, where it gives the reader a tone of loneliness and tiredness. . The basic tone of the poem is majorly sadness and gloominess, it is established by phrases such as, "This is the time of day when we feel betrayed." line 8. In this phrase it is hinted that the narrator seems to be irritated of healthy people, I believe this is triggered by the image of the sister (nurse) being all relaxed and comfortable while the patients are in pain, misery and tiredness. This establishes the sense of sadness because it draws a picture of someone who is sick and lacks good health looking at someone who has everything which they don’t, posses health and comfort The poems consist of tones such as betrayal, fear, safety and happiness. The tone of betrayal is sensed for the patient feels like his life is now cut short since he is living with an illness which requires him to suffer on a daily basis, Parkinson’s Disease, he feels betrayed by his own life. On a happier note, the line “loads of loving relatives” sets the tone of happiness and safety. This line draws a picture of loved ones where it establishes a feeling of comfort and security for both the reader and the patient. During the end part of the poem the words “The endless anonymous croak... intensifies the lonely feeling I feel," were used, which emphasized the poems tone of gloominess and adds a tone of fear . The word crack is used when referring to death, and so it has a sad and unkind ring to it not to mention that it gives the image of the patient fearing death which helps ends the poem with a gloomy
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